Breakable SVU
by Clue Impaired
Summary: The end has arrived.  I hope you enjoy it. CH 11 Please R
1. Chapter 1

**Breakable SVU**

Don Cragen took the envelope off the top of his mail pile and opened it. There was a certificate inside just like Dan Ross had said there'd be. He read it. Now how did that woman get this into the squad room without anyone being the wiser? Too many nights with little sleep and too much stress on the job was getting to himHe wasgetting punchy

He could see the envelopes on other desks. There would be questions from all the detectives and he wanted to have answers for them other than he'd heard good things about the place. He picked up the phone and dialed the number on the bottom of the certificate. It rang and rang, without an answer. It was early, maybe it wasn't open yet.

The first to arrive in his office was John Munch. He knocked on the door and opened it when Cragen gestured him to come in. "You got a minute, Captain?"

"What is it, Munch?"

"I have this. Do you know what it is?" For an answer Cragen picked his up to show the detective. "Is this for real? No one gives away free time at a business, especially in New York. Has anyone checked this place out?"

"They just arrived this morning. No one from this squad has. I've heard it's on the up and up. If you want to check it out, go ahead. Take your lunch hour and do it. In the meantime, we need to get to work."

"We're going to go talk to the apartment manager on the Scothouse case this morning as soon as Fin gets in."

"Good. Maybe he's thought of something. Swing by the ME's too and see if you can pick up any more clues from the body."

"Right." Munch was about to leave when he turned back to the his captain. "Are we sure this isn't a trap for someone on the squad?"

"If it is it's pretty elaborate for one."

"Those have been tried before."

"Have you ever seen a business like this one?" Cragen asked rhetorically.

Munch gave him an acknowledgement with a nod and left the office. John Munch was nothing if not a cautious man. His background, his training and his innate distrust all combined to make him suspicious of everything and his every instinct was giving him bells and whistles about anyone making a profit from destruction and giving it away to members of the police force. He slipped the certificate into the pocket of his coat and grabbed a cup of coffee.

Fin was on the way in the door when Munch met him with a cup of coffee. "You're late. Let's go."

"Let me get to my desk, man." Fin said sharply.

"Later. We need to go now."

"Relax, man. Is there a house on fire?"

"We don't know yet." Munch answered leading the way.

After the apartment manager, failed to remember any more they left and went to the ME's office. Again they struck out. "Well, that was a useless morning." Fin said grouchily at his partner. "You shoulda let me stay at the office. At least I'd've gotten a decent cup of coffee." Munch glanced at him. "Well, a hot one at least."

"We aren't done yet." Munch said. "We have one more stop to make."

"Where?"

Munch gave his partner the certificate to look at. "How did you get one and I didn't?" Fin demanded.

"You did. It's on your desk. We're going to check it out. It just doesn't smell right to me."

"Man, you are so suspicious."

"The place is giving away time, an hour at a time, to cops. Why? What is their angle? To break up things? There has to be a catch."

"Let's go ask."

"You want to drive?"

They got in the car and Fin took the shortest route to Breakable. It led them through the seediest part of town. Munch looked around at the surroundings. "I think we should lock the doors and I'm armed." He commented. "Did we have to come this way?"

"It's the fastest route, old man. Don't worry, I'll protect you if something happens." Fin grinned at him.

"Before or after they strip the car and leave us in a dumpster?"

"After. What are you so nervous about? No one wants your scrawny ass."

"Any cop is a good target around here, man."

"Oh, please. Look, there it is. Not very imposing, is it?"

"Look around, man. If it was all dolled up, it would stand out like a sore thumb. You know the inside could be a palace." Fin parked the car and they got out, looking around as they did.

The Open sign on the front door beckoned them inside. The bell was loud bringing a woman out from the back. "Good morning. Can I help you?"

"I'm Detective Munch and my partner Detective Tutuola."

"Munch and Tut?"

"Tutuola." Fin said.

"Tutuola. What an amazing name."

"Just Fin. It's easier."

"Please don't tell me it's short for Finnegan."

Munch grinned at his partner. He'd have to remember that. "No, it's Odefin, but it's a mouthful." Fin admitted.

"Odefin Tutuola. It fits you. I'm sorry, I'm just plain ole Jennifer. Can I guess that you're from the Special Victims Unit?"

Munch frowned. "How did you know?"

"I sent certificates there for an initial visit. You're early. They just came out today and you're the first ones here. You won't be the last, I'm sure, but you're here to find out if I'm on the up and up or I've lost my mind. Or worse."

Fin gave her a suspicious look. "That's a pretty obvious conclusion. Care to explain why you sent these certificates?"

"I know cops. Or at least as a breed I know them. I know the suspicion, I know the stress a cop is under, I know the anger that can build up. And I want to fill a need for both your job and my need for an income. And by using available materials and my labor I can do both."

"How can you know a cop so well? Were you one?"

"No, my husband was. We started this together."

"He was a cop?" Fin asked.

"A deputy sheriff actually. He did this for his own stress relief and I made it into a business."

"I'd like to meet him." Munch said.

"He's not here right now. He's out gathering targets for me." Jennifer lied, glibly.

Munch looked over his glasses at her. "Do you have a picture of him?"

Jennifer laughed at him. He was taken aback. "Does that work very often? The looking over the glasses? I think it's cute."

Fin laughed at his partners discomfort. "She's got you, old man."

"I'm sorry. Was I supposed to be intimidated? I'll try to do better next time." Jennifer grinned at him.

Munch gave them both a disgusted look. "So tell me how this works." He gestured toward the place.

"I can give you the half cent tour if you'd like. This way please. This, of course, is our lobby and back here is what I laughingly refer to as the weapons room. It's locked at all times, except when I'm in there. The cabinet over there has a variety of sledgehammers, baseball bats and even some golf clubs now by special request for clients to use. No one is allowed to carry any weapons in there except what has been approved by me.

Any weapons brought in, whether the person is a cop or a private individual, is either handed over to the person they are with or locked up for the duration of the visit. The person is then taken to this room back here." She took them back to the room where it was set up for a living room. "They are asked to wait until I'm out of the room before they begin. Then they can destroy as much or as little as they desire. Ten minutes before the hour is over they are told to finish whatever they really wanted to destroy. At five minutes to the hour I request them to put the weapon down and there's a five minute cool down period for them to let the adrenaline slow down before they are allowed to exit the room. That's usually a safe amount of time."

"And this works?" Munch asked suspiciously.

"Most of the time. I'm not out to hurt anyone, I'm not out to cause anyone a problem. I'm trying to make a living doing something that no one else offers. Most people are grateful for the chance and I give certificates to people who serve and protect because I know what it's like to live with the rage and suspicion the job entails. Believe it or not. There are people in this world that aren't out to get you."

"So it's going good for you then?" Fin asked.

"I get a lot of repeat business, yes. By far the most requested thing I get are liquor bottles. Those I have to hunt for sometimes just to keep up the demand. There's a euphoria after the session and most people are happy to do it again. The novelty wears off after awhile, but there's always stress so I'll eventually end up with a stable client base."

"You know this how? You can't have been in business that long." Fin demanded. "We would've heard something about it."

"That's a good question, Detective Fin. This is my second site. The original one is in another city. I sold it and moved here and reopened. It's a different name but it's the same concept. I'd like to say one more thing then I have a client coming in. I'm not forcing anyone to do this. That's why the certificates. If you are not comfortable with the arrangement, at least don't prevent someone else from enjoying it. If nothing else, try it first than condemn it."

"You are here all by yourself?"

"Most of the time, yes. Why?"

You said you moved here and reopened. Not the two of you." Munch said.

Jennifer grimaced. "You got me. I'm a widow. Everything else is true. My husband was a deputy sheriff and he did die and he did do this in our home. I made it into a business and moved here to start over again. You can check that out at you leisure. All I ask is that you not spread around that I'm alone here. It's hard to be in business by myself without support. I'm not asking you to lie, just not to spread it around."

"We won't rat you out." Fin promised. "Do you have proof that you aren't going to tape this and try to blackmail someone with it?"

"With what? Someone destroying garbage? Are you serious? Ah, I get it. You are asking me if I'm going to use it as leverage against you? No. I do tape everything just as a safety measure, or some people want a tape of it and will bring a blank one for me to make them a copy of mine so they can have it. You have to admit adrenaline and the human emotion can be a powerful combination. Mmm, you know I have a couple of tapes you can watch if you want. I'll need them back, but it'll give you the idea. It was a couple of clients I had that said I could use their tapes for a promo if I wanted to, so I have their permission. They aren't from around here so it won't matter about a name. Do you want to see them?"

Munch exchanged a look with his partner. "Sure."

"Oh, there's my client. Can you wait just a minute til I get him started and I'll get them for you."

"Go ahead. We'll wait over here." Fin said.

The two men moved over to the front of the store and watched the procedure while Jennifer did exactly what she'd told them she would. She carried the weapon from the weapons room to the back room and came out. She went to a monitor and looked up for a minute when they heard the first great crash.

The two detectives moved toward her, intending to look at the monitor as well. She smiled at them and stepped in front of them. "I'm sorry, unless I have his permission, it's a private session. I can't allow you to watch."

"We're the police." Munch told her in frustration.

Jennifer pointed to the posted rules on the wall. "Then you understand the need for rules, detectives."

Munch gave her a disgusted look. Fin was hiding his grin. She reached for her desk drawer and Munch sidled around pretending he was looking at the rules, but he was trying to see the monitor. Jennifer reached up and hit the power button, darkening the screen and stared back at him, challenging him to comment.

She handed Fin the tapes. "We'll bring these back." He said.

They left the building and Munch was scowling. "She's not telling us everything." He said.

"She isn't going to tell you everything, Munch. You came on like she was a suspect. Did you expect her to fall all over you?" Fin scoffed.

"You're just flattered because she said she liked your name." Munch told him sourly.

"The woman has good taste, that's all." Fin grinned. "And she didn't find your peeking over your glasses at her routine scary. Face it, you're losing your touch with the ladies."

"Not on your life. She just doesn't appreciate big city cops." Munch said.

"She probably knows better." Fin shot back heading back for the stationhouse.

The squad room was happily quiet when they got back to the office. "Captain, we got a tape." Munch called to his captains open doorway. He put the tape in the VCR and sat down in his chair to watch.

Most of the officers in the room turned to look at the television. Munch recognized the room immediately even though the furnishings were different. The door opened and Jennifer came into the room with the "client" who was wearing a helmet, safety glasses, knee pads, shin guards and elbow protection. Jennifer gestured around the room and the man nodded. Jennifer handed him the bat he'd chosen and stepped outside the room. The man looked around the room for a minute, took aim at a lamp and swung the bat. The lamp shattered spectacularly.

The group in the squad room cheered and jeered the man. Cragen watched with skeptical fascination. The man hit something else and really got into the action. The officers were taking bets on what he'd hit next. The man had worked up a healthy sweat by the time he'd seriously destroyed the rest of the room. It was all without any sound. He appeared to listen to something, took a desultory swing at something, and stood back to look proudly around at all the damage he'd done. He set the bat down and Munch fast forwarded to where Jennifer cautiously opened the door and spoke to him, then led him out of the room. The tape ended.

There was a chorus of groans, but they quieted when he put the other one in. This was a woman and she chose a golf club and the room resembled a bar. She wore no protective clothing but she had a mighty swing. "I'm glad that's not my old lady." Someone said drily.

The woman was talking, probably swearing judging by the strength of her swing and the way she appeared to scream at the things before she hit them. She was very tired when she was done, but she was grinning and happily set down the club and even gave an astonished Jennifer a hug before they left the room. That tape ended.

Cragen nodded and headed back for his office. He closed the door so he could honestly say he didn't hear the many phone calls going from his squad room to Breakable. He waited until things had settled down out there before dialing.

"Breakable, this is Jennifer. How can I help you?"

"This is Captain Don Cragen, I'd like to make an appointment, please."

"Yes, Captain, I've been expecting your call."

"You have?"

"Captain Dan Ross said if you couldn't get in for a free appointment, he'd pay for the session. He says to tell you "Turn about is fair play." Whatever that's supposed to mean."

"I can't accept anything of value for free."

"I have my marching orders just like you, Captain Cragen. When would you like to come in?"

"I, um, not sure…."

"I have a spot open tomorrow afternoon where there are none of your fellow officers either in front of you or in back of you. No one will know you've been here. You have my word on that."

"Alright. What time is it?"

"3:00 pm."

"I'll be there."

"Call me if there is a problem. I'll need you to bring a few things for my records, though."

"Records?"

"My insurance company insists. They are strictly confidential. I'll fax you the list. I hope you'll be here, Captain. I'd very much like to meet you."

"I'll do my best. Thank you."

He hung up and dialed another number. "Ross, it's Cragen. What can you tell me about this Breakable place?"

TBC


	2. Chapter 2

**Breakable SVU 2B**

Elliiot came just short of plowing his fist into the mans nose and driving it straight back into his brain, killing him. He'd never come this close to killing someone outside of his stint in the Marines, but this son-of-a-bitch deserved it. Instead he slammed his hand into the wall right next to his head. "You are a worthless waste of skin and air. You deserve everything they'll do to you in the big house." He hissed.

"Elliot, let him go. Elliot!" Olivia she said urgently.

He backed off, breathing hard, trying to control his urge to kill the guy. The fact that this man was hunting co-eds on the same campus as his daughter attended made it hard to do. "Get him out of here." He told the uniforms.

He moved away from the man, Olivia to the other side of the room. He didn't want to hurt anyone else. He heard the door open, the man being hustled out and the door closed again.

"I want you both in my office in ten." Cragens voice cracked out at him.

"I guess he saw the interrogation." Olivia said mildly.

"I'm sorry, Liv. I didn't mean to get you into trouble, too."

"I can't imagine why he'd want me there, except that we're partners. And for that I'll stand up with you. In this case I agree with your sentiment. I can't believe the people who think this man is sane or safe. He showed such a good face to begin with then he changes. Are you okay? You hit your hand pretty hard on the wall."

Elliot realized he was rubbing his hand and it was smarting. "It's okay. I just figured it was better to hit that than him."

"I think you got your point across. Let's go see what Cragen wants."

"I guess we better."

They walked together to the captains office. He was sitting at his desk and leaned back when they came in. "Close the door." He said calmly.

Elliot was closer so he did. Cragen didn't ask them to sit down and he didn't address Olivia directly. His whole attention was focused on Elliot. "That was the closest I ever want to see you come to killing someone. I know the effort it costs you not to do it and I understand why. The time has come, Stabler, to get your head out of your ass. You cannot, I repeat, _cannot_ spend your whole career charging from one anger management class to another and one disaster to another without trying to help yourself. So I'm giving you some help. Take this check and go to that new business. The one you received the certificate for and do your breaking there."

"In case you haven't read it I'll let you look at mine. " Cragen tossed his at Elliot. They're all the same. Read it."

"_This Certificate entitles the below mentioned to one initial free hour at:_

_**The Breakable**_

_A new business dedicated to the piece(s) you need. _

_Rooms of furniture and items guaranteed breakable and you won't get into trouble for it. Kitchens, living rooms, bedrooms, and bathrooms available. Specials rooms and items available by advanced orders only. A limited number of free certificates per week available. Make your reservations now. Please __do not__ discuss this certificate with your co-workers. Let them be surprised too._

_The Address is: XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX Phone : ( XXX) XXX-XXXX)_

"I'll just use my certificate." Elliot said in surprise. He had expected to get chewed out royally for this escapade. Not the captains personal check.

Cragen shook his head. "It won't work. I talked to the woman there and she has no free openings for several weeks. This is the only way to get you in today. You have half an hour to get your ass over there. I told her to put whatever she had into the room and let you have at it."

"Captain, I don't need…." Elliot began.

Slowly, deliberately Cragen rose to his feet. "This is not a request, Detective. Until you have been to Breakable and that check has been cashed you are not to come back to work. I will call tomorrow and find out if you have been there. Olivia, you make sure he goes. That's an order. Get out of here, both of you."

Elliot felt like he'd been scolded by his father. "I'll pay for it, Captain." He tried to hand the check back to Cragen.

Cragen shook his head. "I'm running out of options here. You've put my back against the wall and I'm not loosing my pension for your lack of self control. Get yourself under control, or lose your position."

"Are you saying?"

"Yes. It's allor nothing. You're becoming a liability. The city is down on us for the amount of lawsuits being filed against the police department and you are a leading contributor. Do something before the situation is beyond your control. Dismissed."

Elliot jerked upright, looking to see if his captain was serious. He saw no indication that he wasn't. He closed his mouth in anger and left the office. Olivia was right behind him. He slammed his chair against his desk. "Well, that's it. I'm done. I can't see any way that one time at some place will make that much difference."

"Let's give it a chance." Olivia said with a little smile of anticipation.

Elliot stopped what he was doing and looked at her. "What is that look for?" he demanded.

"What look?" she pretended innocence.

"Don't play that with me. You know something."

"We're going to be late. Let's go. I'm driving."

Elliot stared at her, but she took her jacket and headed for the elevators. He grabbed his and hurried after her. She wouldn't tell him what she knew though he tried everyway he could to convince her. He even threatened to stay in the car and not go in when they got there if she didn't tell him. She shrugged and got out, still smiling.

He followed her into the office. The woman working there greeted them amiably. "Good afternoon. I'm Jennifer. You must be Elliot Stabler. I'm sorry, I don't know your name." She greeted Olivia.

"Olivia Benson."

"Welcome. Captain Cragen called and said you would like to give our services a try. I'm pleased you could come on such short notice."

"It wasn't exactly my idea." Elliot said in a surly tone.

Jennifer lost her smile and faced him squarely. Her demeanor wasn't confrontational nor was it passive. It was a neutral stance. "I understand that. Perhaps if I explain a few things to you it might help. My husband used to be a deputy sheriff. Some days he'd come home so filled with rage over something at work that I didn't feel like his wife, more like his adversary. He got the idea one day to take one of the kids baseball bats and go out to the garage where we had some old furniture and beat the hell out of that instead of yelling at us. We learned to steer clear of that garage and keep the cars outside until he was done, I can tell you." She smiled briefly.

Elliot snorted with reluctant amusement. "If only I had a garage."

Jennifer nodded. "Many people don't so he started inviting his friends over for a beating session, as he called them. It got so we had to have a large dumpster delivered once a week. The neighbors weren't happy, but it was during the daytime and they were happy to have the extra police around. We eventually had to sell the business and moved here. My point, Detective, is that what I offer here is the chance for you to do what you cannot do at home or elsewhere. It's not intended to hurt anyone, the sessions are entirely private unless you give permission otherwise and you are welcome to break or not anything in the room except your own bones. I'm hoping you will give it a chance before you decide it isn't worth your time."

"What can it hurt?" he shrugged, uncomfortably.

"Exactly. Before we begin, you should know a few things. Your weapons should stay with your partner or if you come in alone I have a place that is locked that they stay until you leave. As a favor to Captain Cragen, I'm waving the usual documents you'd need to bring, but please gring them next time."

"You're assuming there will be a next time." He growled softly.

Jennifer gave him an amused look. "Next time it'll be free. How can you pass that up?" she teased. "I didn't have a lot of time to chose a room for you so I used what I had on hand. When you have a more time, I can set it up more to your specifications. That room back there is what I refer to as my weapons room, where I keep the things you can use. It stays locked unless I'm in there with you. I carry the weapon from there to the actual room. You have fifty five minutes to do you worst. At ten minutes to the hour, I'll give you a five minute warning that your time is running out, then when you're done there's five minutes with the weapon down for you to cool off both physically and mentally before you come out. That's a necessary safety precaution, though it's not usually necessary. I'll need you to sign some papers before you begin. Do you have any questions?"

"You have a lot of people who do this?"

Jennifer laughed with a bit of a sharp edge to her voice. "There's a lot of rage out there and not just people you'd expect. What I offer, I'd like to think, has helped a lot of people get a handle on their anger. Detective Benson, you are welcome to stay here or you can go and come back in an hour, if you'd prefer."

"I'll stay." Olivia said with a meeting of the gazes with Elliot.

Jennifer nodded. "I see you've been partners for awhile." She commented.

"What makes you say that?" Olivia asked.

"I was married to a cop. He didn't have a partner like you do but some of his friends used to give each other looks like that, it's a "you and me against the world" look. "You Watch my back and I'll watch yours" kind of look. It's sad, really, that it has to come to that in this world, that it has to be that way. I never got that look much, but it's a good feeling to have that kind of relationship. Sign these please."

Olivia hid her smile. She was quick to see, this woman. Elliot was glaring at the woman, but she could see he was beginning to get into the idea of it. Elliot scribbled his name hurriedly with a flourish. Jennifer didn't take the bait. She appeared to realize he was deliberately trying to get a rise out of her.

Jennifer stowed the forms away in her desk and took Elliot to the locked room. It held a large cabinet that she opened and it held rows of baseball bats from little league size to caveman club and a variety of golf clubs. In the back of the cabinet was a variety of sledgehammers of differing sizes. She backed off and let Elliot chose. He took a sledge hammer and hefted it, then put it back. He tried a couple others, swinging them experimentally, then went back to the sledgehammer. He grinned at Jennifer in anticipation.

She nodded and took it from him. "Good choice. Serious swingers, sorry, poor choice of words, use these. Massive damage." She carried the sledge from the room and relocked it. "Give your weapons and anything else you don't want to lose to your partner please."

After he did that, he followed her to the room. "Would you like to see the room before he begins? It makes a great before and after impression."

"Sure." Olivia shrugged. She could feel the excitement building in the place.

Elliot stepped into the room after Jennifer and looked around. There was miscellaneous tables, chairs, boxes, appliances, dishes, something of nearly everything. All here for him to smash. He grinned looking around choosing where he wanted to start.

"All of this is for him to break?" Olivia asked.

"Anything and everything that suits his fancy. All the cords and things have been removed, so you don't have to worry about being electrocuted. All I ask is that you give your partner and I a chance to get out of swinging range before you begin." She handed him the hammer and ushered Olivia before her out the door.

They didn't make it back to the front before there was a mighty crash. Olivia turned with the intention of going back in, but Jennifer was grinning and nodded with satisfaction. "I think you'll be pleasantly surprised by the results."

She went around behind the desk and looked up at the monitor for a minute. Olivia was going to join her but Jennifer stopped her with a look and a smile. "It's private. I'm sorry."

Olivia nodded. She really wanted to see what was going on, but she understood the reason behind the rule. She moved back to the front of the room and sat down to look at the magazines there. At least they were new ones and a variety of different ones. The sounds of smashing and thumping were regularly coming from the back. Jennifer kept glancing at the monitor. At 35 minutes into the session there was a quiet space. Jennifer looked at the monitor for a minute nodding with satisfaction and kept working. Pretty soon the noise resumed.

Olivia watched her flip a switch on the wall and there was a ventilation fan that kicked on. Olivia checked her watch at about the time, Jennifer said "There's five minutes left. Finish what you need to."

Renewed furious sounds came from the room and Jennifer grinned at Olivia. "He's quite an energetic fellow, isn't he?"

Olivia grinned back at the woman. "He's in good shape."

"I noticed." Jennifer said embarrassed. At Olivias grin she shrugged. "I'm older, but I'm not dead." She waited a few moments and spoke again into the intercom. "Five minute cool down. Please put down your weapon." She watched seriously and kept watching. Then her eyes turned to Olivia with friendliness once again. "So do you want to see the after now?"

Olivia was on her feet in an instant. "I do."

Jennifer led the way, opening the door cautiously and stepped inside. It looked like a tornado had hit the place and Elliot stood inside, running water, and grinning with the widest grin Olivia had seen in months. There was wood splinters all over, glass shards, twisted metal and things that were no longer identifiable. The sledgehammer lay on the floor. Jennifer went over and picked it up, looking around. "I can honestly say I've never seen a more thoroughly trashed room. You can be proud of it, Detective."

Elliot grinned and his brilliant blue eyes turned to Olivia. She grinned at him. "That's my partner." She said proudly.

He accepted the accolade proudly, though he tried to hide his embarrassment. "Come on out, Detective. You did well." Jennifer said letting the two detectives have a moment to themselves before they joined her outside again.

Elliot stepped over his partner and pulled her roughly to him "You were right. I think I'm ready to go home now. I have a few things I want to show you." He kissed her deeply, passionately, urgently.

She lifted her head. "I'm ready to look at whatever you want to show me." She told him huskily.

They went out to the front where Jennifer was shutting down the computer. She looked at them. "Did you enjoy yourself?" she asked Elliot.

"I did. You were right."

"I'm glad. That's all that counts."

Olivia handed him back his equipment and while he put the stuff away, she looked from him to Jennifer. "So can I book an appointment?" she grinned.

TBC


	3. Chapter 3

**Breakable SVU 3**

John Munch went home from work to an empty house. He'd contemplated before getting a cat or even a dog, but his hours were so unpredictable he didn't want to put anything in harms way. His answering machine was flashing five messages. He hit the button as he loosened his tie and reached for a drink. "John, it's Armana. Listen, you son of a dog, you're late with your alimony and I'm going to go to the judge if you're late again. You are the one who decided to go back to paying rather than give me the deed to the house so pay up or I'll ask the judge to raise it. Don't think I won't. Call me." _Beep_

The second message was from a salesman who thought he was buying a car for Armana, the third one was a credit card company saying that they were on the card together and since she hadn't made her payments he had to, the fourth one was Armana's lawyer and the last one was a wrong number. So much for positive reinforcement, he scoffed.

He erased all of them and went to sit on the couch. The room was utilitarian with just small touches of color here and there, more for him to sleep than because he spent a lot of time there. It was getting dark outside so it was getting dark inside as well. It was depressing. He considered changing something, but it just seemed like a waste of time.

He contemplated calling someone just for someone to talk to, but who would he call? He had friends of a sort, but they were more drinking buddies than someone just to talk to. He thought about Elliot who was living by himself now that he'd split with his wife, but judging by the looks he and Olivia had been giving each other all day and the grin on his face all day, he'd either gotten lucky or Olivia had. He had waxed darn near poetic about his visit to that place from the gift certificate Breakable.

On impulse, John pulled the certificate from his jacket pocket and dialed the number. "Hello."

"I'm sorry. I was trying to reach Breakable." He said almost hanging up.

There was a heavy sigh on the other end. "You've reached the right number. How can I help you?"

"Jennifer, right?"

"Yeees?" she answered cautiously.

"We've met. Detective Munch here."

"Detective Munch, I remember. How are you?"

"I'm fine. Well, actually not so fine, that was why I was calling. It's probably too late in the evening to book an appointment, but is there a way you could call me in the morning and I could make an appointment?"

Jennifer laughed but it wasn't the amused laugh he'd gotten from her when he'd met her. It was a sharp, bitter laugh. "You can make one now, if you'd like. I'm apparently not going anywhere tonight. When would you like to come in?"

"Soon."

"Are you available now?"

"Now. It's after six."

"Oh, I guess it is. Well, how about Tuesday?"

"Were you serious about now? I could make it, I just didn't think you had evening hours."

She gave a sharp bark of laughter. "If you want to come, it's fine, if not, I can put you in another time."

"I can come now. I thought you might need time to prepare."

"I have an appointment for in the morning, but I'd have time to set it up before then. Are you particular about any specific room?"

"Not really. Do you have anything with a smiley face on it? One of those annoying yellow grinning things?"

"Hallelujah. I have a whole box of them that I want to burn at my next bonfire. They've been cluttering up my space forever. For some reason people won't break things with those on it. Disgusting, little emblem isn't it?"

"If you put them on things, I'll do my best to obliterate them for you."

"Oh, you have a deal. I'll see you in a bit."

John hung up the phone. Armana was the one who'd driven him insane with those awful smiley faces. He was looking forward to getting rid of them once and for all. He grinned and went to change into some jeans and a sweatshirt. This was going to be FUN.

Jennifer was coming out of the back room when he arrived. She had on jeans and a T-Shirt, tennis shoes and her hair up in a ponytail. She looked about sixteen when she opened the door and locked it again behind him. "I'm glad you could come."

"You don't usually have evening hours, do you?"

"No. But it does some good to have people come around here after business hours. I've had a few people eyeing the place, like they're thinking about coming in to steal things. It makes me nervous. I try to be a good neighbor. If they steal my computer, I'm out of business. I can't afford to get another one. Oh, well, it's my problem. Come on back. May I call you John?"

"Sure."

Jennifer had him sign the papers, made a copy of his paperwork and led him into the weapons room. He selected a golf club and grinned at her. "I hate golf snobs. Golf is a good game that should be enjoyed by the masses not just the celebrity few."

"If you say so. I've never golfed." She took the club from him and led the way out to the outer room. "You can put your weapon and badge in here, no one will bother it and anything else you think might get lost."

"I don't usually take off my weapon." He said seriously.

"Do you usually got to a place like this in the evening?" she countered.

"No."

"It's perfectly safe, John. I don't want your silly old gun."

Doubtfully he put the weapon and his badge in the drawer, even if it was against his best judgment. He watched her lock it up and put it in her pocket. He followed her to the back room, but it didn't look line the one in the tape. It had objects all over the place and at least a hundred smiling faces grinning back at him. He felt his anger rising. He'd been married to her when that emblem was all the rage and he still hated it with a passion.

"Enough emblems for you?" Jennifer asked mildly.

"It's a start." He growled.

"Here's your weapon. Just let me get out of swinging range, please."

"I am not an animal." He said.

"We all are. Have fun, watch your glasses."

She closed the door and he took his first swing at a lamp with the emblem proudly displayed on the base and the shade. The lamp shattered and the shade went flying. He stepped over to a gaudy, plastic monstrosity of a vase with the smile on it and made it more socially acceptable. There was a picture on an end table covered in smiley faces, it landed across the room with a mighty swing. Next was a series of plates and glasses that had been lined up domino style. He went through them like he was whipping down grass. He looked around and there was a notebook from the seventies with a huge smiley face on the front of it sitting on a coffee table. With an overhand blow he drove the club down on the notebook smashing both notebook and table to the floor. This was fun!

"In a similar manner he went through the whole room. One item in particular gave him pause, though. It was a thermos with that hideous grin on it. He got a flashback of coming back to visit his father and coming into the kitchen to find that he had taken his own life with a gun he'd bought on the street. No one heard the shot. The body was already cold by the time he found him. He'd dealt with the police and the other paperwork then gone home to find Armana wondering if there was a will for the little money his old man had had. It hadn't occurred to her to give his feelings much thought. That was how he'd found out what kind of woman she really was. It was shortly after that that he'd found out she was cheating on him.

The thermos received four vicious blows. One for every man she'd slept with when they were married. Fueled by that thought he worked his way through the rest of the room. He was wishing he'd worn a T-Shirt himself when she told him he had five minutes to finish up. He didn't see anything he hadn't thoroughly destroyed already. He nudged a few things, but they sort of crumpled and he was forced to admit he was still ready to smash. He grinned, he figured he'd just have to come back and do this again.

"Five minute cool down. Put your weapon down, please."

He propped the club against the wall and put his hands on his hips. A thoroughly good time was had by all, he decided with a grin. The door opened and Jennifer cautiously stuck her head inside. She retrieved the club immediately and surveyed the room. "You really didn't like those emblems, did you?" she asked, mildly.

"They remind me of a cheese log with a grin."

"I guess they do. I have just one word for you, there champ. Wow."

He laughed. "I can see why you have such a following. This is a great idea."

"Have I put your doubts to rest, John? I really am for real."

"I most humbly apologize."

"You'd look better in those old fashioned balloon pants, but apology accepted." Jennifer grinned at him.

John pulled himself up indignantly. "I would never wear balloon pants, madam." Then he grinned.

John followed her out into the outer office. "I think, if you've no objection, I'll be back another time. I have a specific request this time."

"Let me know and I'll have it ready for you." Jennifer promised opening the drawer so he could retrieve his equipment.

"I don't suppose you'd like to go have a late supper with me, would you?"

"I can't. I'm waiting for a phone call to see how my kids are doing. My oldest isn't feeling well and I'm worried about him. But thank you for the offer."

"Another time, then." He was philosophical. "I think I have a call to make. Will you excuse me?"

"Absolutely. You made my evening. Good night." Jennifer walked him to the door and locked it after him.

John pulled out his cell phone. "Casey, feel like some company tonight?" he asked grinning as he headed to his car, feeling on top of the world.

TBC


	4. Chapter 4

**Breakable SVU Ch 4**

Odefin Tutuola was a cop who prided himself on being in touch with his roots and his family was his roots. He tried at any rate. He had some spare time and he thought he might spend some time with Ken, his son. Except the boy was nowhere to be found. According to the boys mother he was off with a girl. While that made him proud, he was still a bit miffed. He'd really wanted to spend time with him.

He went to the local bar, but there wasn't anyone there he cared to hang out with. He was feeling rather odd today. Restless, disconnected from his family. He went by the house where his aunt had lived for years, but it was occupied by someone else now. He drove home and took a beer out on the balcony. He was sitting around, trying to relax but he couldn't. He was too on edge, too wound up.

He dialed a number and waited for five rings. He was about to hang up when the person he was calling answered. "This better be good."

"Hey, man, what you doing? Want to grab a burger or something?"

Fin heard a woman _giggling _in the background. "I've already grabbed something, Fin, but thanks." And he hung up.

Fin stared at the phone and grinned. The old polecat had a girl. And unless he missed his guess, that laughter was from Casey Novak. The throaty sounds were very distinctive. It just made his loneliness more acute. He threw the rest of the bottle of beer in the sink and stalked out of his apartment. He needed a walk.

He headed for the sidewalk and headed down the street at a serious walk. He just wanted to feel a part of the neighborhood. He passed groups of young people enjoying the weather, older people sitting on steps, and couples trying to hook up. It was lonely. He cursed under his breath the life he'd lived that made him part of the largest police force in the country, but isolated him from his family and made him a pariah in his community. It wasn't sex, he could have that, it was loneliness and the resentment they had for him that made them stay away. He had done a job and been good at it. If they didn't understand that he'd done it for them, then fuck them.

He'd walked a large circle. He found himself back at his apartment. His car beckoned him. He wanted to get away, find somewhere else to be for awhile. Somewhere where he could be a part of the crowd, not treated like the black sheep of the family. He got in his car and started driving. He didn't have any destination in mind. He just went. It didn't take him long to recognize the area he'd driven to. He was near Breakable. Suddenly that sounded like a good idea.

He pulled in and got out. He walked inside. Jennifer was in a confrontation with someone. She had her arms crossed and was shaking her head. "No, sir, I do not allow anyone into the room who has been consuming alcohol. Not until you are sober. It's a company policy and it's posted on the rules right there."

"I booked my appointment several weeks ago. I've been looking forward to it."

"And you are still welcome to come back, when you're are sober. No exceptions." Jennifer said, firmly.

"Something wrong, Jennifer?" Fin asked assuming his cop attitude.

"Mr. Allister, here, has been drinking. I can't allow him to take his appointment in his condition and he's not happy about it." She said evenly.

Fin had the distinct impression that she was glad to see him. "Is that true, Mr. Allister?"

He moved over to stand near Jennifer, yet close enough to prevent the suspect from reaching her if necessary.

"I never heard anything about that rule. She just made that up." He accused.

"If you are injured or injure someone else while you are under the influence and the euphoria acquired while you were engaged here, my insurance will not cover you for injuries to you or anyone else. I won't risk it or you. I said you are welcome to come back another time, but not when you've been drinking." Jennifer said firmly.

"Your next appointment is three weeks away." Allister protested.

"If I have a cancellation, I will call you first, but you are not going to go in today."

"I'll call my lawyer."

"You may do that, and I'll call mine. Either way you will not be keeping your appointment today."

"Allister, give it up. She is within her legal rights to refuse you service when you've been drinking. Go home and sleep it off." Fin said.

"Who the hell are you and how would you know about her legal rights?" Allister turned his anger on Fin, swelling out his chest.

"I'm a cop. And as such, if you don't want to be arrested for disturbing the peace you'll move on out of here."

Allister visibly deflated and growled at Jennifer. "I'll be back." He said. Fin got an attitude. "When you call." The man added hastily and hustled out of the building.

As soon as he was gone, Jennifer sagged just a bit. "I hate when people are like that. I couldn't let him in. Alcohol tends to heightened the experience, but it also lengthens the adrenaline rush and makes people more dangerous."

"Just sit down for a minute." Fin advised.

"I'm glad you were here, Fin."

"You should have some one here with you. This is dangerous for a woman all alone."

"Everything is dangerous if you're not careful enough. Did you need something? When you got here, I mean?"

"I just happened to be here and thought I'd stop in."

Jennifer just cocked her head at him with a disbelieving look on her face. "Okay. Well as long as you're here, can I help you with something?"

"I happened by and thought maybe I could book a time to use your services here. I was going to ask for tonight, but you said you don't allow in people who've been drinking."

"And you have?"

"I just had a little beer, but if that's the house rule…."

"That is so thoughtful of you to say. I wouldn't have known if you hadn't said anything. Thank you. I think I'm going to be spending all night saying thank you, now."

"It's no thing." He said, dismissively.

"It is to me. I can't offer to let you use the room tonight, but I can make it worth your while when you do. Do you have an idea of what you want to do? What makes you the maddest?"

"There's a lot of things that make me mad. Racists, child molesters, sick people who pray on innocents, sometimes my job really gets to me and sometimes it's my family."

"Your family? I guess everyones family gets on their nerves some times."

He scoffed. "Yeah. You have kids?"

"Two. A boy and a girl. Just enough to get me into trouble, I always say." Jennifer laughed.

"Do they live around here?"

She smiled and shook her head. "I'd be snow white by now. They live in another state. My son is working at a graphic design studio in California and my daughter is finishing up her business degree in Michigan."

"How about you?"

"My son's name is Ken. I was gone for a lot of his growing up years and we're working on making a connection, but there's a big barrier between us. He doesn't think I'm good enough to be his dad, now. It's rough going sometimes."

"You were supposed to see him tonight?"

Fin shrugged, trying to look casual. "He was busy. Has himself a girl. That's good. He needs to be with his own age rather than hanging out with his old man."

Jennifer nodded. "It hurts for awhile. They start to hang out with you less and less and it seems you're just a has-been to your kids. Mine are starting to come back around some now, though. They begin to understand that you can offer something their friends can't. It's a cycle. You just have to ride it out. He'll come around to thinking you're not so bad afterall."

"You sound like an expert." He scoffed mildly.

"I've had some experience. Would you like me to arrange something special for you using what you told me? I think I can manage something."

Fin wasn't sure if he had done the wrong thing in confiding to Jennifer. "That's okay." He said.

Jennifer stood up. "Are you telling me you aren't mad at the people who hurt those women? It doesn't bother you that people look at you and judge you by your outside rather than what you are inside and what you have done? It's okay for the child molesters to ruin the kids and you have to play by the book? And your family…." 

"Okay, you've made your point." He said hastily. "Yeah, I still want to beat the shit out of them, but how can you…..?"

"You leave that to me. When do you want to take a crack at these monsters? The ones you can't do more than arrest and hope to hell they stay in prison where they belong?"

"You tell me when I can and I'll be here, lady."

"Tomorrow evening at 4:00. I'll make sure it's ready for you. You have my word on that."

Fin nodded and took a step toward the door. "You should get a panic button." He told her. You need some security."

"I'll consider it." She said. "So I'll see you tomorrow at 4:00?"

"I'll be here."

He stepped outside the door and watched her lock it before he left. All the way home and through the next day he thought about that meeting. "Fin, what's eating you, man? You sick or something?" John asked him about 2:00.

"Naw. I gotta leave at 3:30. I got a meeting."

John grinned. "Must be a hell of a meeting."

"Get your mind out of the gutter, old man." Fin told him sharply.

"Ah, that's who it is. Going to Breakable, aren't you?"

"What of it? You did."

Munch grinned happily. "I suggest you line up some nice lady to spend the evening with, there, ole buddy. 'Cause that will give you such a high…." John laughed.

"So that's what was going on last night." Fin teased him. "That was Casey, I heard?"

"Never mind, who I was with. You need to take care of your own business, my man."

Munch said but he was still grinning happily.

Fin gave him a disgusted look and went back to his paperwork. At 3:30, he gathered his stuff and headed for the door. "Have fun." Munch called.

Fin flipped him off and left.

True to his word, Jennifer had it all ready for him. She smiled at him. "Are you ready?" she asked with a grin.

"I been looking forward to this all day." He admitted.

She took him into the weapons room and let him choose his weapon. He chose a baseball bat and handed it over with a grin of anticipation. She let him deposit his weapon and led him to the door. "If there is anything in here that offends you, feel free not to destroy it or I can remove it."

"No problem."

She opened the door and led the way in. The room was packed with various things. There were religious symbols painted on breakable objects, others with racial slogans or versions of them on them, one female mannequin was dressed in an old robe with a blindfold tied across her head and next to her a male mannequin dressed in an old business suit with an absolutely hideous tie and a sort of makeshift briefcase tied to it's hand. He grinned at that one. There were also pictures of child molesters clipped from newspapers or printed from internet pictures glued to a variety of articles.

The adrenaline was pumping now and he wasn't sure where to start, but he wanted to right now. "Just let me get out of swinging range. Then you can begin." Jennifer grinned and moved out of the way.

She had barely shut the door when the first loud crash came from inside the room. It was followed by some very loud, very innovative swearing. "Take that you #&…"

Jennifer hurried back to her desk. She turned the volume down on the monitor. She wasn't sure she wanted to hear that much information on the mating habits, personal habits and general pedigree of the people Fin was making mincemeat out of. She'd check once in a while to see that everything was alright, but otherwise ignored the sounds inside.

She turned on the vent fan earlier than usual, because he looked like he needed it. He was the only one who ever paused when he heard it kick on then he went back to what he was doing. He had the room pretty much decimated by the time she called the five minutes to finish up. He went back to the male mannequin and propped it up for a few more swings at it. That made his day.

One icon he had left deliberately for last. It was a picture of a perp that he recognized. She couldn't have known that this was one of his cases and the man had ranked right up with the worst he'd ever come up against. Unfortunately it was on a large glass object so he was only going to get one shot at it so he was going to have to make it count.

He took his best stance and let fly. In a shower of glass the face of the perp disappeared forever. He dropped the bat and threw his hands in the air in a gesture of victory. "Put your weapon on the floor, please. Five minute cool down."

Fin laughed out loud. What a great workout and what a fabulous feeling. He breathed deeply, and looked around the room. There wasn't an inch of floor that wasn't covered in debris or broken glass. There weren't even many large pieces, but did he feel wonderful.

The door cautiously opened, pushing debris in it's path. Jennifer cautiously peaked inside and saw him. "My word, you were a busy fellow." She said mildly.

"Lady, you have a hell of a business here."

"Thank you. Very, very thorough. I am impressed. Are you ready for some fresh air?"

"Do you want me to help you clean up in here?" he asked feeling a little guilty for the large amount of clean up that was going to be needed.

"Don't you worry about it. Come on out." She picked up the bat and headed for the door. "Go ahead." She told him.

"Ladies first." He said gallantly.

"Thank you."

She opened the drawer for him to retrieve his weapon while she put the bat away. "Do you, how many people use those things?" he asked while he reassembled himself.

"Most people use the bats, its comfortable, familiar and gives great control. Every time one is used, I wash it and disinfect it just for health and safety sake. It won't be returned to service until that's been done. Why?"

"No reason in particular. Just curious." Fin shrugged.

"Like a fox." Jennifer grinned.

"You, uh, wouldn't want to go have some dinner with me, would you? That kind of works up an appetite."

"I'd like to, but I have a date tonight. Someone I've been seeing invited me to dinner tonight and I hope he can make it. But thank you for the invitation."

"Another time, then. Have a good evening."

"You, too, Fin. Drive careful."

Fin was temporarily nonplussed. He wanted to share this feeling with someone, though he'd have to give Munch a hard time about it for knowing what he would be feeling. Then an idea occurred to him. There was this beautiful woman he knew that had beautiful eyes, a gorgeous smile, nice legs and the brain of a chief surgeon. And he knew that her daughter would be with her father tonight. He pulled out his phone and dialed. "Hey, Melinda, how's it going?"

TBC


	5. Chapter 5

**Breakable SVU Ch 5**

He stepped away from the table, from the board, from the pictures on the board that showed the brutal attack on children from one very, twisted sick individual. He hoped that Elliott and Olivia reached the suspect in time to stop him from doing this again. They'd finally gotten the goods on him and left practically to a man. Cragen had stayed behind as well as two junior detectives.

This was one of the worst cases they'd ever had and he wanted a drink so bad he could taste it. The thought of taking one to forget this was almost overpowering. He hurriedly grabbed a pack of gum he kept in his desk and popped two sticks into his mouth, chewing viciously down on the substance. The phone rang and he snatched it. "Cragen."

"We got him, Captain. And the girls are safe. Scared, but we made it in time." Olivia said and he heard the satisfaction in her voice.

"Good work. You read him his rights?"

"Everything by the book." She assured him, firmly.

"Good work, detectives. Once he's booked, call it a day."

"Yes, sir. See you in the morning."

He could relax now. The monster was in custody, the kids were safe and his detectives were fine and in charge. He never wanted to admit it to them, but he felt like he was their father sometimes and he worried about them out there especially with people like this guy after them. He grabbed his jacket and headed for the door. He stopped and back tracked, made one phone call and headed out. "See you in the morning." He called.

"Night, Captain." Chorused behind him.

He headed in the opposite direction from his usual way of going home, but he knew exactly where he was going.

The parking lot was empty when he arrived. He got out and went inside. "Welcome, Captain. I'm Jennifer."

"It's nice to finally meet you." He shook her extended hand. "I've heard nothing but good things about you."

"Then I guess I'm doing my job."

"Thank you for fitting me in at the last minute. I'm sorry I had to cancel my previous appointment."

"Think nothing of it. I understand the nature of such things. You have extraordinary luck, because I happen to be having a special on liquor bottles this week. We have made a deal with a bottling company to provide them with crushed glass. I hope you have good aim because they want a certain amount and I'm behind on my quota."

"You don't have to make excuses for me." He said.

"I'm not. I swear on my mothers knitting needles. I've had people offer to buy my place and open a franchise to provide the glass. Can you believe that? What people won't think of."

"Yeah, what people won't think of." Cragen grinned at her.

She made a face at him. "Go ahead and sign in and I'll get my keys."

He signed on the X's and followed her into the weapons room. The usual weapons were in the cabinet. He considered the baseball bats, but that seemed like sacrilege to him and he wasn't in the mood for a golf club so he chose a sledgehammer, noticing Jennifer was standing well back from his swings. "I'd never hit you." He commented.

"You're going to be in there all alone. You need to know what kind of swing you want. Is that your choice?"

"I guess."

"Can I make a suggestion? I don't mean to interfere, but I do have a few things not available to the general public. It's the kind of thing I don't believe just anyone should be able to use. Would you like to see them? Maybe they would appeal to you. You don't have to if you don't want to."

"I'd like to see them." He was intrigued.

She opened a cabinet that looked like a mirror. It had pegs inside with different weapons. One was a baseball bat with a steel tip on it, so it didn't look like a normal bat at all, there was also a bullwhip and a large hammer with spikes welded to the rounded head. "These are for your eyes only." Jennifer said nervously.

"Those two are illegal." Cragen said.

"I know. That's why they're here, not with the others. I rely on your discretion. You have the self control and training to use these. I trust you."

"I should confiscate these? How did you get these?"

"I found them in a dump when I was scrounging for things. Don't worry, they are completely free of a past. I did turn them into the local police when I found them and they checked for them being used in crimes, but they were clean. I was given them on the understanding that they'd never be used for that purpose. I'll have them melted down and destroyed when I no longer want them. No one will have them."

"If I use them, I'd be committing a crime." He said reluctantly, but he was so tempted.

"Do what you have to, Captain Cragen." She said, with just a touch of cool in her voice.

"I won't. As long as they stay here in this cabinet."

"They do." She assured him. She reached for the door to close it, but he raised a hand.

"Can I try them out?"

"Sure, but I wouldn't want to aid and abet in a crime." She grinned at him.

"I won't tell if you don't."

She swung the door back open and stepped back. He was eager to touch weapons he was not allowed to own. He pulled down the hammer first and took a few swings. It was top heavy and awkward. He put it back and reached for the bat. It felt good in his hands. Not like a normal bat and it felt good to swing it. The handle had been worn or sanded smooth and it fit exactly in his hands.

"What a piece of work this is." He said admiringly.

"It's too big for me, but you're right it is impressive. My husband liked to use it. I told him if I used it it would be to tenderize a steak."

"That would be a waste." He didn't want to put it away, though he knew he should. "I'd like to use this, if you don't mind."

"I'm fine with it." She shrugged. "If I was worried about you handling it, I wouldn't have showed these to you."

She closed the cabinet and took the weapon from him. She carried it carefully to the front office. She was right, it was heavy. He considered offering to carry it, but decided she needed to be the one to continue that. He put his equipment into the drawer and followed her into the room. It had rows of liquor bottles and on all sorts of surfaces, and a whole wall of televisions of various sizes and ages. "Televisions?" he asked amused.

"The man who was supposed to come here had a thing about a relative who'd drink all day and sit at home watching porn on tv. I'm not bringing porn in here so the television was the next best thing. Do you want me to remove them?"

"No. The media is a thorn in my side. I'd be happy to take care of that problem once and for all."

There were also some boxes with liquor company logos and . Don grinned. "I think this will be just fine."

"I'll be back in a bit." Jennifer said and hurried out of the room.

He hefted the bat and took out the biggest television first. The bat sank right into the guts of it like a knife through butter. He yanked it out and swung again. It caved in the case with a satisfying crunch. For variety he took out a row of bottles next. Some of them shattered, others just bounced. Ah, she was sneaky. Some of them were plastic. These were more of a challenge. They tended to bounce instead of crush.

He loosened his tie and took off his jacket, rolled up his sleeves and got down to business. Two handed he rampaged his way through the rows of bottles swearing at liquor that had taken control of his life and taken his life away from him. He had years of anger to express at these symbols. He was done with them far too soon. He was walking on crunching glass with every step. He walked back to the televisions and demolished them to a pile of rubble.

Somewhere along the line he began to visualize the lawyers who made unfair and untrue accusations against him and his officers concerning perps and ones who deliberately made things up or reported facts before they were given the go ahead in order to get the byline. All the vicious things said about the police and the men who had died because some reporter had let things slip ahead of time.

He was amazed when he heard Jennifer call five minutes left. He felt like he was waking up from a dream His whole body trembled with anger and weariness. He didn't have to but he set the bat down early and leaned against the wall. Small sobs escaped him. He hadn't cried for a lot of the good men he'd seen go down and it all came to him now. Long habits allowed only a bit of his grief to show. By the time she had called the five minute cool down was over he'd regained control of himself and he was able to greet her with equamity.

She gave him a small smile when she saw his face. "There are a very few select people who come in here and feel the depth of the emotion you feel now. Very deep people. It's nothing to be ashamed of. It's the mark of strong personality that you could control it. You should be very proud of yourself."

"How did you know?" he asked.

"Wipe your face. We have company."

Cragen did and discovered his cheeks were wet with tears. She waited until he was composed before she opened the door and led the way out with the bat.

Dan Ross stood in the outer office in a turtleneck sweater with a casual jacket over it and jeans. "Don, good to see you." He greeted the older man. They shook hands.

"I didn't expect to see you here, Dan." Cragen responded.

"I decided to surprise her with a dinner invitation, to make up for missing a previous dinner. I didn't realize you would be here. That's quite an idea, isn't it?" Ross grinned nodding behind him.

Jennifer casually put the bat against the wall and opened the drawer for Cragen, but Ross wasn't a detective for nothing. "Uh, is that what I think it is?"

"Yes." She replied.

"You know that's illegal." Dan said.

"That's the rumor." She said casually.

"I'm the one who brought it." Don said, to spare her.

"It's mine, Dan. I let him use it. I have another one that is illegal as well. Would you like to see it?"

The two men eyed each other trying to gauge the mood. "Before you two bulls butt heads, let's get one thing straight. These weapons are mine and mine alone. Don said he should confiscate them and so will you. I'll tell you the same thing I told him. If that is what you have to do, then do it. Only two people know I have them besides me and you are both of them. I don't have any kind of emotional attachment to them. Do you want to see where I keep them?"

"Them? You have more?" Dan asked.

She crooked a finger at him and took them all into the weapons room. She swung open the hidden cabinet and Dan looked at the other weapon. "Where the hell did you come up with that?" he demanded.

Jennifer repeated the story of her finding the weapons while Don watched her connect with his counterpart. She had a definite connection to him that he wished he had in his life. "Where did you get the bull whip?" Don asked.

"I bought that at a tack shop. Not many people can use one, but I enjoy it once in a while. I set up target practice in the room and use it."

"You use that?" Dan demanded.

"It's effective. You've never used one?"

"No." both men said in unison.

"I can show you if you'd like. It's really very simple." She took down the whip and went back out to the outer office. She checked to make sure where they were at before she shook out the whip and raised it into the air and flicked it. A large pop made them jump. "See?"

"Dan, are you sure you want to take her out to dinner?" Don asked his friend with a grin.

"Hey." She said.

"As long as she leaves that at home." Dan said with an answering grin.

"_She_ is standing right here." Jennifer said crossing her arms over her chest and eyed the two men.

"She seems a little upset." Don continued as though she hadn't spoken.

"I think she is. Do we dare turn our backs on her?" Dan asked.

"Not a good idea. But you know what I think is a good idea, Dan?"

"What's that, Don?"

"I think we better quit teasing her or she might flay us alive with that thing. I also think you should take her out to dinner. If she'll have you that is."

Jennifer grinned at them and shook the handle of the whip at them. "You both should be ashamed of yourselves."

Dan Ross grinned at her. "Are you almost ready to go to dinner?"

"What's the decision on the weapons? I'd like to know."

Both Cragen and Jennifer looked to Ross. "I know I should confiscate them, but if you keep them out of sight, I'll leave them here. I don't ever want to see them again." He told Jennifer sternly.

"You won't." she promised. "Let me put these things away and I'll get ready." She left the men and went to do what she said, coiling up the whip as she went.

Dan Ross eyed his friend. "That's how is it going, Don?"

"We just closed a hell of a case and I had the time."

Dan nodded. "I had one of the same right before I came the first time, too."

"The first time? How many times have you been here?"

"Four for the room. A few more for dinner."

"Good for you." Don said.

"We're not going anywhere special. Do you want to join us for dinner?"

Don shook his head. "You guys go and enjoy. Tell Jennifer, I'll be calling her again, will you?"

"I'll tell her." Dan said shaking the mans hand.

Don walked out into the cool night air and turned, for just a moment, to look back. Jennifer had come back out of the weapons room and walked up to Dan with a smile. He gave her a kiss in greeting. Feeling like a voyeur, Don headed for his car.

He climbed inside and drove away, but he didn't go home. There was a certain blonde ADA he wanted to see tonight. He realized with a smile he hadn't seen her in far too long.

TBC


	6. Chapter 6

**Breakable SVU CH 6**

Olivia Benson was a product of rape, she admitted it to herself and she had a exceedingly low tolerance for rapists and people who defend them. This man Cragen had sent her and her partner to pick up had been taunting them for the better part of a month, daring them to find him and he had finally made his big mistake. He'd not killed his last victim and she had recovered long enough to pin the rape on him.

Olivia was the first to arrive at his door and she heard a childs terrified crying inside. She snap kicked the door open and charged in, gun drawn. The man was caught in the act of trying to rape the girl who had been badly beaten. "Freeze, asshole, or I'll blow your brains all over the floor." Olivia told him.

"Jeez, Liv. Give me a chance to kill him, too." Elliott growled to her a second later. "Get your hands up, Grennett."

"Can I at least pull my pants up?" the man asked.

"No." Olivia said.

"He has a gun!" The victim sobbed scooting away from him on the floor.

"Face down on the floor now." Elliott barked at him.

Grennett made as if to comply, but he reached in front of himself and Olivia saw him pulling something. She kicked him between shoulder blades and he fell. He had been reaching for a gun and it went off between his legs. Luckily it shot harmlessly out of the way, but it gave them another charge to add to a long list already. That of endangering the life of an officer in the performance of his duty.

Olivia knelt on the mans kidneys and handcuffed him while Elliott read the man his rights. Elliott lifted the man to his feet and turned him around toward the door so everyone outside could get an eyeful. "Sorry, forgot." He said belatedly pulling the mans pants up, none too gently. The man winced and glared at Elliott who just gave him a level stare.

Two uniformed officers took him out to the squad. Olivia went over to the girl who was sobbing in a heap against the couch. She took a blanket one of the uniforms had brought in and wrapped the sobbing victim in it. Paramedics had been standing by and hurried in to take care of the her.

Olivia looked around and her eyes met her partners. "We better see if there's anyone else in here." He said.

The found the others in the back bedroom. They shrieked when they saw Elliott so Olivia went in to calm them down. Other officers came in and wrapped them in blankets and took them out to be transported to the hospital and reunited with their parents.

Olivia pulled out her phone and dialed the captains number. "Captain, it's Olivia. We have him and the girls are safe."

"Did you read him his rights?" Cragen asked.

She grinned wickedly at him, though he couldn't see that. "Everything is by the book, sir."

"Good work, detective. When he's booked in, go ahead and call it a day."

"Yes, sir. See you in the morning. Elliott, how'd you like to go see your kids tonight?"

"What about our perp?" he asked.

"The captain told us to call it a day as soon as he's in booking. I thought you'd like to see them tonight."

Elliott grimaced. "That figures. They're visiting Kathy's mother upstate this week before she goes on vacation for the summer. I'll keep working, you go home."

"We could-go do something together." She asked sotto voce.

"Sounds good to me." He said quietly giving her a wink.

She ducked her head to hide her grin of anticipation. "I'll meet you back at my place after work. You drive." She told him loudly.

"I planned on it." He replied grinning.

They left CSU swarming all over the mans apartment and headed back to the precinct. Captain Cragen had left already. They took the perps to central booking and headed upstairs to punch out.

"Want to catch a burger or something?" Elliott asked casually.

"No, I have a date tonight. I'm going to go home and get all dolled up for him. He's pretty special to me."

"Oh, well, another time then. Have a good time." He said pretending not to care.

It was all an act. They left the precinct at separate times, in separate vehicles and went separate ways, but it was for the benefit of anyone watching. Elliott parked down the street from Olivias apartment and let himself inside with his key. He went into the kitchen and started to cook dinner. She came in about 15 minutes later and walked up behind him, slipping her arms around his waist, caressing his stomach. "Mmmm. Something smells good."

"Dinner." He said.

"That wasn't what I was talking about." She said huskily.

He grinned. "I believe you have designs on my body." He said already turning off the burners on the stove.

"I'd like to have more than designs on your body." She told him.

Elliott turned to her and put his arms around her. "Hello." He kissed her luscious lips. Diving in again and again for more.

She reached up and pulled his head down so it stayed there. He slid his hands up her back while she snuck her tongue into his mouth. His cell phone went off. He lifted his head and blinked at her, trying to overcome the dizzying effects of her kisses before he answered. Otherwise it would be a dead giveaway. "Stabler."

"Dad? Have you seen Mom? She was supposed to come get us tonight but we can't find her. Grandma is sick and we need to get home. Mom has our car since hers is in the shop. Can you come get us?" Dickie asked.

"Sure. As soon as I'm done here, I'll head out. How sick is Grandma?"

"She has one of those headaches."

"Okay, son. Try to keep yourselves quiet and I'll be there as quick as I can." He hung up the phone and sighed. "The kids are stuck at their grandmothers house and they can't find Kathy to get them." He sighed and rested his forehead against hers for a minute. "Damn."

She chuckled. "This feeling isn't going to go away. I'll still be here when you get back."

"I might have to stay with the kids tonight if Kathy isn't home. I'll let you know."

"Go ahead. I love you."

"Love you, too." He kissed her quickly and left the apartment.

Olivia saw the half cooked meal and decided she didn't want it without him and put it in the frig. She took half a gallon of ice cream out of the freezer and went in to the living room to eat it. She turned on the tv and sat back to watch. A news bulletin flashed across the screen that Grennett had been arrested and was awaiting arraignment. The ice cream didn't taste so good anymore.

She put it back in the freezer and moved around the apartment restlessly. She had been looking forward to spending time with her partner. She went in to take a shower and felt better afterward. It was tough to release the tension of the case. She moved over to the window and looked outside. Her mind went back to the picture in her mind of the terrified girls in that apartment.

She picked up the phone and dialed a number she didn't realize that she'd memorized. "Breakable, this is Jennifer."

"Oh, I, uh, expected to get the answering machine."

Jennifer sighed. "I didn't expect to be here, but as long as I am. Can I help you?"

"My name is Detective Olivia Benson. I have a certificate for…."

"Yes, I remember you and I've been expecting your call."

"You have?"

"You are the only one from your squad I haven't had a visit from yet. I've been hoping you'd call."

Non plussed, Olivia blurted out "Why?"

Jennifer laughed. "Don't sound so surprised. I find women who work in law enforcement round out a department. They balance the male perspective, you might say. Things tend to get a bit skewed if its only one gender present most of the time."

Olivia smiled to herself. "You're right about that. So can I book an appointment or would you rather I call back in the morning?"

"Either way. My plans fell through for the evening so I'm free either way."

"Could I come now?" Olivia asked more because she was curious than that she expected to get an affirmative answer.

"Now? I guess you could. It's after my normal business hours, but what the hell? That's why I'm in business for myself. What exactly are you looking for in a room? Do you have any particular choices you'd like to use?"

"Well, there has been this case lately…."

"The one that they've splashed across the papers every day?"

"Yeah, that one."

"Ah, I understand. The media made it so much worse than it had to be. I wanted to smack them and I'm not a violent person." Jennifer laughed mirthlessly. "I can see what I can do. Is there anything else?"

"There was an element of alcohol and intellectual elitism."

"Ha, gotcha. You want to come in say an hour or tomorrow?"

"I'll be there in an hour."

"Good. You'll need to bring a few things with you."

Olivia jotted down the list and hung up. She went into her bedroom and changed from her work clothes to jeans and a T-Shirt, grabbed a jacket to cover her weapon and went to get something to eat before her appointment. She found herself both anticipating and dreading the experience, though she'd heard nothing but good things about the place. And she'd certainly been given the benefits of Elliotts earlier visit there. That caused another smile. Elliott, oh damn, she forgot to leave him a note incase he came back tonight.

She picked up her phone and called him. "Stabler."

"Hey, it's me. Listen, I'm going to Breakable so if you come back, I don't know that I'll be there."

"Right. I'll be prepared." He said. There were shades of warmth in his voice that were impossible to deny.

"I'll see you later."

She hung up and left the restaurant. She was early to Breakable, but Jennifer didn't seem to mind. She smiled at her. "Welcome, Olivia."

"Excuse me while I lock the door. I don't want any unexpected visitors. Make yourself at home."

"Do you get a lot of late night visitors?"

"I never used to. I think some of the neighbors are starting to get upset over my being here. It's just a feeling, I have. I'm probably being paranoid. I prefer not to take chances. So, where were we? Ah, yes, your papers."

Once the legal things had been taken care of Olivia chose her weapon. She was torn between a baseball bat or a golf club. She ended up taking the golf club. It had more swinging radius.

Jennifer smiled at her and took it from her. "Can I ask you a question?"

"Sure, but I can't guarantee I can answer it."

"Fair enough. Why did you choose law enforcement? You're pretty enough to have been a model. Or maybe that was the reason. You're also smart enough to make detective. See I answered my own question. Why special victims?"

"That's your second question." Olivia teased, liking the woman.

"And I'm being too nosey. Never mind. So, are you ready to see your room?"

"Wait a minute. I'll answer your question if you slow down. I'm a product of rape myself. It's not something that I tell everyone, but it's no secret. I want to stop people from having that happen to them if I can and especially children that have to deal with that crime. You were a cops wife, didn't you ever consider going into it?"

"No, I wanted to be a foster parent, even a temporary one, but Daves work schedule was too hectic and there was some concerns over his temper so the opportunity just slipped away. I'm not tough enough for a cop, I'm a nurturer by nature. The maternal type, if you will."

"There's nothing wrong with that. There are a lot of children who could use that kind of care. You could still do it."

"I'd probably never qualify. I'm single, older and I live over this business, for heavens sake."

"If you decide you want to try, I'll help you. It's something I…." Olivia stopped, she wasn't usually this gregarious with people she'd just met.

Jennifer nodded. "I understand. So, let's go knock some heads together."

Olivia smiled and put her weapon and badge inside the drawer and followed the other woman into the room. For there being a short time from the call to the visit, Jennifer had put together a remarkably complete room. There were some mannequin heads that looked like they'd been through the ringer once already, but some of them had had moustaches painted on them, making Olivia want to giggle at the effect.

There was bottles from booze of all sorts around, tomato juice jars, orange juice jars, the boxes with the names of ingredients for making mixed drinks filled with other glasses, mismatched but they'd shatter nicely. There were cans of drink mixes that you just add alcohol to and beer signs on the walls and free standing cardboard cut outs touting the different kinds of beer products.

It all brought back unpleasant memories. Olivia couldn't wait to get started. Jennifer recognized the look and handed her the club. "Wait til I'm out of range, please." She grinned.

It was wonderful to smash these things that had made her life so difficult. And it was more than that. Olivia felt like she was swinging for all those victims that she couldn't save, that she wasn't able to help, that couldn't help themselves. She knocked the head off of one of the cardboard cutouts that was touting the vodka that had been a special favorite of her mothers. She pounded the tomato juice cans and smashed the orange juice jars.

The heads of the mannequins she kicked against the wall several times and then lined them up for a golf swing to the face. It landed just fine in the mouth. The lying, rotten, low life's mouth. She brought the club down on the heads over and over again.

She paused to take a breath and heard the exhaust fan. The breeze felt good on the back of her neck with her hair all wet from sweat. She snarled at the boxes, still untouched of limes, strawberries, pineapples and bananas. She gave it a smash that would make a pro ball player proud and heard the crash inside. She demolished the pile of cardboard and glass to a pile of rubble.

She took out the beer signs with great relish and some well placed swings. This was great, she laughed out loud and whacked anything indiscriminately that looked like it was too big and needed to be hit again. She was sorry to hear "Five minutes to finish up." She looked around and whacked the mannequin head several more times just for good measure and laid the club down when Jennifer called for her to lay it down.

Jennifer opened the door to the room and stuck her head inside. "All clear?"

"All clear." Olivia grinned at her. "I really like this, Jennifer. This is great. What a rush."

"I'm glad. Wow. Some people leave things, but you didn't leave a thing that needs more work. Terrific job. This'll be a breeze to clean up."

"You clean this all up?"

"Sometimes I have help, but this, this is great. I can get this all by myself."

"Let me help."

"No, I can get this."

"I want to. It'll go faster with two of us."

"I shouldn't, but if you really want to."

"Just tell me where to start."

"I accept your offer." Jennifer said gratefully.

She pulled the shovels and brooms out of the closet and opened the door to the back where the dumpster was. Olivia was no stranger to using a scoop shovel. She enjoyed the clean up process. The two women chatted about all kinds of things. Things that Olivia didn't get a chance to chat with her friends about as it usually involved work. It was nice not to be a cop for a change, just Olivia. The room was spotless when they were done.

Olivia stood back and admired their efforts. "You aren't charging near enough for this, you know." She said, wiping the sweat from her face.

"Let's see. I get an aerobic work out, I'm my own boss, I get to meet a lot of nice people and I'm helping the environment. I can't see where I'm losing anything. All I want is to pay my bills and buy food. I'm content. And I can't beat the clientele. Want something to drink? I have some cold diet soda and fruit juice."

"I"d…like that, thank you." she changed her mind when Jennifer started to close up. The woman was lonely. She didn't miss the relief on her face. Jennifer had her drinks in a small refrigerator in the back she handed Olivia a choice.

"So you said your neighbors are not happy with you business?"

"It's more of a feeling. A slight coolness when I go out to get the mail or go to the store. They give me a slightly hostile look and are short to a point of rude in some cases." You know if I weren't so suspicious, I'd think it was because I have too many police clients. It kind of puts a kibosh on some of the local economy if you catch my drift. It's the kind of a perk I like."

"Don't you get lonely here all by yourself?"

"I do sometimes, but I'm seeing someone. It's casual, but who knows. So how long have you and Elliott been together?"

"We're partners." Olivia said hastily.

"I'm so sorry. I thought you knew you could trust me. Olivia, no one looks at just their partner the way you two look at each other. But if that's the way you want to call it, I'll respect your privacy. Thank you for the help."

Olivia cocked her head at the woman. "Are you going to say anything?" she asked.

"What's to tell? You and he are partners. That's not against any regulation that I ever heard of. I take love where I can find it. Mine or someone elses."

"I better go. Jennifer, thank you for letting me come tonight."

"Here, take your weapons."

"I guess I'd better." Olivia said feeling a bit foolish.

"I always thought of a badge as a weapon. Used in some cases to subdue a belligerent personality, threats for those who think they're better than the law or if all else fails use it as a projectile." Jennifer said thoughtfully.

Olivia looked at her startled. "I never thought of that. I don't know any cop who does."

"That, my dear, is because I haven't had to work so hard for one. I hope you have a good evening."

Olivia grinned at the woman. "I plan on it."

She left the office and headed home. She had a smile on her face when she pulled into her complex and saw Elliotts car. He'd made it home after all.

She bounded up the stairs. Her adrenaline was pumping and she was filled with the urge to make Elliott sit up and take notice. All of her earlier libido returned with a vengeance. She opened the door and called "Elliott?"

The bedroom door opened and he stood there with water standing on his skin and a towel around his waist. "I was just getting ready for you." he said.

With a smile, she approached him, "I'm ready for you, too, partner." She purred and whipped off the towel.

TBC


	7. Chapter 7

**Breakable SVU CH 7**

Casey Novak was a seasoned prosecutor. She'd learned to harden herself to what had to be done in her job for the Special Victims Unit. It was necessary for her to be objective in order for her to do her job. And that was to make sure the person responsible was punished and imprisoned for a very long time. Every once in a while a case would get through the barriers that she set up around her heart and this last case was a heartbreaker.

A four year old girl, beaten, starved and filthy had been kept locked in a basement for most of her life. She had screamed like someone was killing her when the police had gone down to release her. She was petrified of being outside, and had had to be sedated. The whole world was strange to her. Casey had been there to make sure they followed every legal precedent and had seen first hand the conditions that she had been in.

The next time she'd seen the little girl, she had been cleaned up, fed and given decent clothes, but she was terribly, terribly scared of everything and everyone. She was no longer screaming, but her eyes were deep, sad and knowing. She expected everyone to hurt her and didn't understand that they were trying to help her. The few words she knew were coarse, guttural, swear words that made up an incongruous sounds coming from so sweet a little girl.

Casey tried to prepare her for her testimony and had gotten very little response. What had come out would shock a sailor and made very little sense. She simply had no idea how to form even a sentence without swear words and the social worker assigned to her case had said the testimony in open court would so traumatize the girl that she might as well not testify at all. The judge had allowed the girl to come into her chambers and give her testimony where it was recorded.

Casey won the case hands down, but it had taken a huge emotional toll on her. She wanted to beat the father as severely as he'd beaten his daughter and make him live in the same conditions. She was so mad she was shaking when Munch had come in to her office to see if she was alright.

"Case, you okay?" he asked, even though he could see she wasn't.

"No. How could anyone treat someone that way, especially his own little girl. I wanted to hang that man, not send him away to a nice clean jail cell." She'd practically yelled at him.

John dropped his head to look at her over his glasses. "I know what you mean."

Casey slammed a huge legal book down on her desk and was gratified by the noise. John grinned and Casey glared at him. "What's so funny?" she demanded.

"You'll see. How late are you working today?"

"I'll be here until 5:00 at least. Why?"

"I'll be back to get you. Just remember, you got the bastard. I'll see you later. Love you."

Casey grunted but John understood. Casey spent the afternoon in a very bad mood. She knew she should feel excited that she'd nailed the SOB but the length and depth of what that little girl had gone through and still had to go through to even come close to normal was tragic and Casey felt bad for her. She made some phone calls that she hadn't been looking forward to, but in her current mood they weren't all that bad.

John was back to get her at 5:00 just like he promised. He was smiling and dropped a duffle bag on the floor of her office. "I brought you a change of clothes." He said.

"For what?" she demanded.

"For you to change into." He said maddeningly.

"Why would I do that to go home?" she demanded crossly.

"Because we're not going right home. I'm taking you somewhere then we're going home."

"John, I just want to go home."

"Humor me, Casey. Please? I know what I'm talking about."

Casey gave him a sour look but went into the bathroom and changed into her jeans and T-Shirt that he'd brought. She had to grin at the saying on the shirt "Beyond Bitch, Way Beyond" it said. It suited her so well today. She even found a pair of her socks and gym shoes inside the bag. What in the world did he have in mind?

She came out and he took her suit and put it on a hangar for her. "Where are we going, John?" she asked.

"You'll see." He said mysteriously. "You ready?"

"I'm ready, but I still want to know where we're going."

"Trust me." He said, grinning at her.

He took her keys and opened the door for her. She got in and put on the seatbelt. She was used to him doing nice things for her, but not used to him not telling her the wheres and whys.

"I'm hungry. I hope wherever we're going has a place to eat."

"If you're still hungry after we're done, well go eat right away."

"Why wouldn't I be hungry?" she asked impatiently.

John laughed. "Sit back and relax. It won't be long."

Casey sat back and crossed her arms. She was already annoyed, but John smirking over at her every few minutes didn't help any. She huffed indignantly at him. He laughed again. "It'll all be worth it, I promise." He reached over and patted her hand.

He pulled up next to a single older block building. He parked the car and turned to her. "Welcome to the best cure for a bad mood ever thought up by man next to sex."

"You aren't serious." Casey scoffed.

"Oh, yes, ma'am, I am dead serious. Come on, she's waiting for us."

"She who?"

John didn't answer he just got out. She was forced to do likewise if she wanted to continue this argument. And she surely did want to do that. John opened the door for her to enter and walked in behind her. The sign on the front read Breakable.

The woman at the desk and stood up with a smile. "John, welcome back. And you must be Casey. I've been expecting you. I'm Jennifer." She held a hand out to Casey.

"I'm Casey." She said taking the womans hand.

"Casey has had a really tough day and she could use some physical activity." John said.

"I'm sorry about that. John said you might like to try our services so I set something up for you. I hope it'll be okay. Step right this way and I'll let you choose your weapon."

"My-weapon? Did you say my weapon?" Casey demanded. "John…."

"It's not a shooting kind of weapon." Jennifer said. "I take it you've not been briefed about my place of business?" Jennifer gave John a significant look.

John just shrugged. "I thought I'd let you explain it. You do a better job than I do."

Jennifer gave him a disgusted look and looked at Casey. "Basically, you've had a bad day and I'm going to give you a chance to wipe the floor with the people who gave you that bad day. You can beat the snot out of what pisses you off the most. From what John told me I was able to put some things together that represent the creep that you put away today. And a few others as well. I've learned quite a bit about your particular specialty lately by the way so take a few swings for me as well, will you?"

"Using?" Casey asked cautiously.

"Come with me and choose."

Casey followed the woman to a locked room and stepped inside. John followed only as far as the doorway. Jennifer opened the cabinet and the ADA grinned widely. She stepped eagerly toward the selection. Hanging on the back was something no one else had ever chosen. It looked like a regulation baseball bat, but it was shorter. Casey had played baseball in high school and still played on the interdepartmental team, but the bats were longer. She wanted to get up close and personal with this group and tell them exactly how they made her skin crawl.

"Is this one alright?" she asked.

"The choice is yours. If that's what you want to use, be my guest. I found that in a box at a garage sale."

Casey didn't want to give her weapon up, but she did and followed the woman toward the other room. John was grinning at her. "If you don't quit that grinning, I'll use that on you." Casey teased him.

Jennifer whirled around, frowning. "That is why I carry the weapon. But if you're serious about hitting a live person with it…." She said.

Taken aback, Casey realized what she'd said. "No, I'd never hit him with that." She hastily assured the woman.

Still, Jennifer frowned looking from John to Casey and back. She was measuring the mood between the two. "Still…."

"Jennifer, I swear to you, that is how we tease each other. I've never hit Casey and she's never laid a hand on me in anger. You have nothing to worry about." John hastily assured the woman. "Would I lie to you?"

"Yes." Jennifer said at once. "In a heartbeat, if you thought you could charm your way into something you want. Okay, we'll begin then. This way, please."

"Can I see what you've created?" John asked.

"You're a bold fellow." Jennifer said, still wary. "It's up to her."

"I don't have a problem with it." Casey said.

So the three of them went into the room. John had done a good job describing the people to Jennifer. She'd made mock ups of people wearing pillowcases over their heads with old clothes and faces painted on them since the man had been a racist, smaller objects with signs taped to them with phrases used in the courtroom to demean and belittle people, phrases that set a lawyers hackles up, one figure with a wig stand head had been put up on a pedestal of a sort and a ladies wig on it, black cloth draped over it's "shoulder" to simulate a judge, and an odd assortment of chairs set up roughly in a simulation of a court room.

Other breakables had been added like tables and vases and pitchers and glasses on tables just for their splatter value. Casey was itching to get at the stuff. "This looks fine to me." She said happily.

"Just let us get out of swinging range." Jennifer said. "One more thing. Since you have such a short weapon, please be careful of the glass items. I don't want to see you get cut."

John reached into his jacket pocket and handed her some latex gloves. "These'll help."

Casey took them and gave him a kiss. "Thanks." She told him meaning more than for just the gloves.

"Now, now, now. No kissing in here, or I'll have to charge you for a room." Jennifer teased. "After you."

When John stepped outside, she cautiously handed Casey the weapon and beat a hasty retreat. Was what she'd said really that threatening? Casey figured she'd have to think about that. Later.

She lined up a swing at the man at the "defense table" and took his head off with the first swing, yelling at him about his "client." Alright, this was going to be fun.

John spent the next fifteen minutes trying to assure Jennifer that Casey had been teasing about hitting him and the next fifteen trying to maneuver his way around so he could see what she was seeing on the monitor. He didn't succeed, but it was fun trying. The woman was as fierce as a German Shepherd.

He did get one glimpse when she turned to engage the exhaust fan but she whirled around, caught him at it and banished him to the front of the room with a well placed gesture, a scowl and one word. "Go!"

He grinned at her and did as she told him. He'd won. It was a short glimpse, but enough. Casey was disheveled, her hair was soaked and she was having the time of her life. His trained eye saw how much damage she'd already done. She was going to be very glad she'd come.

Casey was pretty well done by the time the almost finished call came in. She went back for more where she really wanted to and reluctantly set the bat down when the cool down call came. She lifted her hair and let the air to her neck. The door eased open and Jennifer stepped in. She closed the door right behind her. "John wants to see. Is that alright with you?"

Casey grinned. She saw that the woman was deliberately baiting her friend. "I think it'd be alright." She said.

"He can wait just a second. It won't kill him. How you feeling?"

"Terrific. This is such a fantastic idea."

Jennifer nodded. "It's the euphoria. The adrenaline rush. You ought to make him take you out to dinner. I'd better let him in before he explodes." She swung the door open, "You can come in, John. She said it was okay."

"Thanks." He said sarcastically.

Jennifer took the bat and left the room. John went halfway to Casey, she came the other half and they locked arms and lips. "You're all wet." He said mildly.

"You're going to get wetter." She predicted grinning at him.

"Get a room, guys." Jennifer said over the intercom.

Casey laughed, John grinned and they left the room. Jennifer smiled when they emerged and set up another appointment. She saw them to the door and locked it behind them. "So where do we go now?" John asked his best friend.

"Your place or mine?" she grinned at him.

"Yours. It's cleaner." He said and she laughed.

TBC


	8. Chapter 8

**Breakable SVU CH 8**

Alex Cabot knocked on the door and it opened and he let her in. "Hi." She said, setting down her briefcase.

"Hello, yourself." He said taking her in his arms and kissing her deeply.

"Mmm. You had a good day, didn't you?" she said with a smile.

"It wasn't too bad."

"I'll just bet."

"How about yours?"

"I've had better." Alex admitted with a shrug and a smile.

"Understatement from you. It must've been really bad." He smiled. His cell phone rang. "Yeah. Okay, I'm on the way. I have to go. Are you staying?"

"I'll probably go home and catch a shower."

"I'm sorry. I have to go."

"Go ahead."

"Here, take this and go here. I know this sounds odd, but it's a great place. Tell her I'll pay for it. She knows me."

"I can't just….." Alex said in surprise taking the piece of paper he handed to her.

"Just go. I'll talk to you later." He kissed her and left grabbing his jacket on the way out the door.

Alex sighed and looked at the address. It wasn't an address that she usually visited. Knowing the area why would he send her there? Well, he would never put her in danger. She shrugged and let herself out of the apartment and drove to the address. The building had a sign in the window that read Breakable. She'd heard of this place. That sly fox had gotten here even when she told him she didn't want to come. She was tempted to walk away, but as long as she was here she was curious.

She parked and walked inside, using her best courtroom demeanor. She wasn't sure what she was going to find. There was a simple desk set up to the back of the office and a woman sitting at the desk. She looked up and then stood up. "Welcome to Breakable. I'm Jennifer. Can I help you?" she asked formally.

"I'm not sure. My name is Alexandra Cabot. I'm an A.D.A. for the City of New York." She didn't miss the stiffening of the womans shoulders. "I'm not here in any official capacity. A friend sent me here. Captain Don Cragen."

The woman smiled. "He's quite a nice man. If you're not here in an official capacity, why are you here?"

"He said I should give you a try. He said to tell you he'd pay for it."

"Ah, okay. Now it makes sense. Please come in."

"Thank you." Alex said drily. She wasn't aware she hadn't _been_ in. Unless it was that she hadn't been welcome before. Given her attire and the womans wary attitude, that spoke volumes.

"Would you like an appointment?"

"What exactly do you do here? All it says is Breakable on the window. I'm not sure what that means."

Jennifer smiled. "We break things. Or to be, more precise, you do."

"Break what?"

"Let me start from the beginning. People have anger triggers. Different people have different things that set them off. I try to fill an entire room full of things that whoever is coming in wants to smash. To use the junk and things that people are throwing away to make a safe outlet for people to let out their aggression and make myself a living at the same time. Captain Cragen has been here, and several other officers as well. It seems my presence is getting around a bit."

"I've heard about your establishment." Alex admitted then decided to see what she could shake loose from the woman. "I told D-uh, Captain Cragen that I wasn't interested in coming."

Jennifer shook her head. "Honestly, I never expected to have a lawyer here, that wasn't serving papers of some kind. So it's a new one for both of us. You don't have to stay, just because you've come in, but if you decide to come back please leave your horns and pitchfork over by the door please."

Alex grinned at the cheeky woman. "Fair enough. So what kind of rooms do you offer?"

"We have the usual house rooms, kitchens, bedrooms, living rooms, and the like. We have had people do garages, band practice rooms, bars, libraries, "

"Ever do any courtrooms?"

"No. No one has ever asked me for that one before."

"Could you do it?"

"I could try. I've only ever been in one real one, but I've seen them on television. I can't do one right this minute, but I'd be willing to try to set something up. Are you asking for one?"

Alex smiled. "I'm not sure."

"Fair enough. You are an ADA you said? What kind of cases do you try, if I'm not being too nosey."

"All kinds, but I've had the most experience with child abusers and rapists. That was how I got to know Captain Cragen, and his squad."

"Now I remember hearing something about you. I'm not sure how successfully I can recreate a courtroom, it's liable to be rough but I have an idea that might interest you. Can you write up a small list of laws, rules, decision names that really irritated you. They don't have to be precise, I'm not going to know if they are or they aren't as long as you do. Just ten or fifteen will be enough. Something I can work with."

"I can do that. Do you have a piece of paper?'

"And a pen. I think I can provide those. Maybe you could jot down some times that would work for you for an appointment. I can adjust the appointments as needed if you have a tight schedule."

"Are you always so accommodating?"

"I'm self employed, Ms. Cabot. I run my own schedule and I appreciate how hard your job must be. I'm willing to be flexible. Don Cragen has been good to me."

Alex scribbled some things on the paper and slid it back across the desk to Jennifer. She watched while the other woman looked it over. There was nothing but polite interest on her face. She nodded and put the tablet into a desk drawer. "I'll see what I can do with this list. I'm not familiar with the workings of court. Is there a time that the courts will call a halt for the day if it looks like the case will run over to another day? One we can say with some kind of certainty that we can have the afternoon for an appointment?"

"I have a case that's due to wrap up on Thursday. It's been a thorn in my side for weeks. I'd sure like to be done with it. That would be a great opportunity to do some damage."

"I can do this by Thursday. Would you like to come here and change or go home first? I have a changing room here."

"I'll come here."

"Don't forget to bring some athletic shoes. It's hard to get a good swinging stance in heels and you'll encounter piles of debris that might trip you in heels."

"I got it. So I could be here at 5:30?"

"Perfect. You can be my last appointment of the day."

"Is there anything else?"

"Here is a list of items you'll need to provide. They're for my….never mind, I'm sorry. I tend to forget who I'm talking to." Jennifer looked a little embarrassed.

Alex grinned. Her being a lawyer had Jennifer flustered. "You were right to tell me. I'm just like any other client."

"Not one of my clients are ever like the rest. They are as individual as the things they need."

Alex nodded. "I'll let you get back to your work. I'm glad we talked."

"It is a pleasure to meet you. I'm glad you came by. It never occurred to me to send certificates to lawyer organizations. I don't know them very well, and I try to be careful about things looking like a bribe. I have experience with the police mentality."

"Police Mentality? That's an interesting turn of phrase."

"Lawyers are a foreign entity to me. The enemy if you will."

"I'd better go before you turn me into the devil."

"I said, just leave your cape, horns, tail and pitchfork by the front door."

Alex laughed and shook her hand. "I'll see you at 5:30 on Thursday."

It was actually 5:15 when Alex arrived at Breakable and she had lost the case she was trying so hard to win. On a damned technicality. A lousy misplaced piece of paper. She was ready to do some serious damage to something.

Jennifer was at her desk and looked like she'd been sweating. She smiled at Alex and took a long drink of bottled water. "Sorry, I just got it set up. Your time is impeccable. How did it go in court?"

"I'm ready to destroy something." Alex said tightly.

"Ah, I understand that. I can take your information if you want to get changed."

Alex changed into her sweater, jeans and tennis shoes and went back to the desk. She was ready to swing for the fences. Jennifer smiled at her. She recognized the feeling. She gave her back the documents and led her to the weapons room. Alex had not been privy to most of the stories about the place so she was quite amazed at the number of weapons available. She stared at the cabinet full of bats and clubs. "That's quite a selection." She said.

"We have all kinds of customers. Please feel free to use which ever one you choose." Jennifer said. "Do you know how this works?"

"I have the general idea."

"Let me explain the procedure so you can ask questions before we begin. You are in the room for fifty five minutes. Ten minutes before you're scheduled to come out, I give you a five minute warning to finish up anything you really want to do. At five minutes to the hour, I ask you to set the weapon down to cool off then I come in, retrieve the weapon and you are free to exit the room."

"You're very careful about it."

"I don't want anyone to be hurt least of all me. That's why it's done that way. The most of the adrenaline is gone in a few minutes, but the high lasts longer. That's why we have a few with partners."

Alex grinned at her in the midst of choosing her weapon. "Ah, so that's the secret of the success. It all makes sense now."

She pulled out a couple of bats. She swung them two at a time until she made her selection. A nice long, but lightweight wooden bat, probably filled with cork. It had a few dents already in it.

Jennifer carried it to the room and stepped inside. Alex looked around the room. It was a mock up of a courtroom with makeshift easels around the room, filled with cardboard pieces and pictures of criminals. There were ones with decisions she had suggested with faces drawn on them, and laws roughly the same as she had jotted down.

And in one corner was a suit of red with a devil mask cleverly applied, including a plastic pitchfork and cape. Alex grinned at the woman. "An effigy?"

"I thought at least you'd want it to witness the destruction." Jennifer grinned, shrugging sheepishly.

"I'll leave that until last."

"Is there anything you want to change?"

"Yeah, everything."

Jennifer handed her the bat. "I'll be back in a bit."

Alex appreciated the fact that she got out of the room in a hurry. The very first thing she did was take out the figure that most closely resembled her latest case. "You slimy, rotten, bastard." She said with every slam of the bat.

She went on to describe in great detail their general hygiene habits and the lousy ancestors of them and every one of the people they'd ever come in contact with. That gave her as much pleasure as actually destroying the room.

When she had the room pretty well destroyed, she heard the five minute call. With a grin she went over and obliterated the devil in the corner. She was certain Jennifer would appreciate the gesture for what it was. She felt lighter than she had in awhile. She dropped the bat into a circle she cleared with her foot in the middle of the room. And stood waiting until the door opened.

Jennifer stuck her head inside. "All clear?" she asked mischievously.

"All clear." Alex replied in kind.

One tiny look at the room was all she took except for a significant look at the remnants of red the corner of the room. The women locked gazes each acknowledging the joke. It was a friendship look. Apology and an acceptance of it.

"Can anyone come in?' a male voice said from the doorway.

Jennifer whirled around. "Captain Cragen. Hello."

"Hello. I'm sorry. I didn't mean to startle you. I tried to get here sooner but…."

"Not a problem. I'd say you need to ask permission to come in, but….."

"He's welcome in here." Alex said smiling warmly at him.

He stepped in the room and looked around. "I'm glad I didn't see this before. I'm sure I would've been impressed. What's with that?" he gestured to the pile of red in the corner.

The women looked at each other and laughed. "Private joke." Alex said. "You're just in time to take me to dinner."

"Good, because I have somethings I want to talk to you about."

"So do I."

"Get out of here, you two. I have work to do." Jennifer said.

"I have to pay you…." Don said.

"I'll send you the bill. I know where you work."

"Checks in the mail." He responded.

The two officials left. As they were passing out they saw a very unhappy couple of people headed their way, but didn't give it much thought. They were wrapped up in their own conversation. How little did they know.

TBC


	9. Chapter 9

**Breakable SVU Ch 9**

Dr. George Huang was used to being the voice of reason, the one they turned to for help with suspects and profiles and a sounding board when chaos reigned. What he didn't like being was the one who was so filled with stress and anger that he didn't want to go to work in the morning. He had to, he knew that, but his schedule was so full that he'd be lucky to get lunch.

He expected his first patient to be a real handful. The man had a history of anger problems and had snapped at a suspect nearly throttling the life out of him.

He braced himself mentally for the man bursting into the room like he always did. Braced himself to appear calm and relaxed in the face of towering rage. To his amazement the man stepped into the room like a normal human being with a smile on his face and a relaxed attitude. "Good morning, Dr. Huang." He came forward and even shook the doctors hand. He hadn't done that ever.

"Good morning, Torrance. How are you today?"

"I'm good. I found a great way to relieve that stress you were talking about."

"Really? Suppose you tell me about it."

"It's a great place called Breakable. The woman that runs it is the widow of a cop and she knows all about the stresses we go through. You go into this room and…." For the remainder of the visit the man waxed poetic about his visit to Breakable. Using that as a platform to build on Huang was able to make progress he'd not been able to before.

After the man left, he told his receptionist to hold his next patient for a few minutes. He picked up the phone and dialed.

"Breakable, this is Jennifer. How can I help you?"

"My name is George Huang. I'd like to make an appointment to come in to talk to you, if I can?"

"An appointment to talk is not necessary. You're welcome to come in if you're willing to wait if I'm busy for a minute."

"I'd like to come by at 3:00 today."

"If you make it 3:15 we'll be able to talk immediately."

"I'll see you at 3:15."

"I'll expect you." He called his receptionist. "Let her in please." He spent the next few hours talking to his patients but in lulls he found his mind wandering to his first appointment of the day and the mans change in attitude. He knew the benefits of venting but he'd never seen such a drastic change before.

At 3:00 he left his office and went to the address he'd gotten from the first man. Breakable was a small building, older and had been a store once. He stepped inside and the woman behind the desk was watching the monitor intently. It was turned so it wasn't visible from him point of view, but she seemed satisfied with the progress.

She smiled a welcome to him. "You must be Mr. Huang? I'm Jennifer. Welcome to Breakable."

"Thank you. I'm actually here for a professional reason. I'm a psychologist with the FBI, Doctor Huang. I had someone come into my office this morning who's been here and he spoke very highly of your services. I've been trying to get through to him and this is the first progress we've made. I wanted to find out for myself what exactly goes on here so I can use it in my work. If it worked once…."

"Oh" Jennifer said surprised. "I'm not sure how much it contributed to your patients attitude, but basically people come in here, beat the daylights out of things that bug them and it's okay. No one is going to yell at them or discipline them or accuse them of destroying things that make one bit of difference. The can go crazy and the only people who could get hurt is themselves. I don't let anyone in except the participant, so it's completely private and they are free to say and do whatever makes them feel good."

"So it's the adrenaline rush that's the reason for the happiness?"

"I'd say that's at least part of it. Part of it is control. Most of the things that people want to destroy are ones that they cannot control. So I'd say control issues as well. Raging against things that they have no control of. This gives them a safe outlet to strike back at those things. At least that's my take on it. I'm not a professional like you are."

Huang considered this information. "You must be doing something right. Do you have someone inside the room now?"

"I do."

"Can I see the process in action?" he stepped toward the monitor.

She stepped in front of him and smiled. "I can't allow that. I told you everything done in there is private. Sorry."

"I'm a doctor."

"Not here. I haven't given anyone permission to practice here. I'd be violating their privacy by letting you look. I won't do that."

"I'm with the FBI." He said, testing her resolve.

"Then I'll owe you a big apology later. You should know better, Dr. Huang. Shame on you for trying to use your connections for something that is none of your business."

He grinned at her. "Touche. Is it possible for me to book an appointment then?"

"Absolutely. I just need to know a few things."

"Such as?"

"When, if there's anything in particular you want to make disappear and some legal paperwork. It's more of a when and whether I can provide what you want to destroy."

"What can't you provide?"

"Kids, live animals, ideas. Those are just not possible. I can substitute things for those but I can't provide them exactly."

He nodded. "I wrote some things down for you." He admitted with a shrug. He pulled it out of his pocket and handed it to her.

"You sly puss. You were fishing for information." She scolded mildly, but she was smiling.

"Even the doctor needs an outlet for anger now and again." He admitted.

Jennifer nodded, seriously. "I understand. The same as everyone else, your visit will be private. I don't book and tell."

He shook his head. "You are the best kept secret in New York."

"Not if I can help it." She laughed.

The continuous crashes from the other room had ceased and Jennifer cocked her head to listen. She didn't hear anything so she held up one finger and stepped back to look at the monitor. She watched for a second then reached back and flipped a switch. The sound of rushing air engaged. After a minute the crashes began again and she relaxed. Her gaze returned to him.

"You monitor things quite closely." He said.

"A pattern has developed. People go in with a ton of rage and adrenaline, after the initial amount is used up they pause for a breather, then resume. Once in a while they can't finish a session, or there's a problem. That's why the monitor. I've even had people bring a tape and had me record it for them. I'll monitor it more closely if I suspect a problem."

"What's the worst thing you've ever had happen?"

"That's hard to say. I had one man who had a genitalia fixation, he masturbated in there then peed on everything, I charged him double because I had to hose the place out, disinfect it and dry it out before I could use it again but he let me know ahead of time so I was ready, and one man who thought he was having a heart attack. It was anxiety but it nearly gave me one, and one couple who wanted to use it for a rendezvous. I nixed that one right away. Take your pick."

Huang laughed at her. "You should write a book."

"I'm a lover not a writer." She quipped. "So when can you come for your appointment? My client will be done soon."

"Smooth." He teased her. He set up a time and left, his appointment was not for a couple of days, but he was really looking forward to it.

He took his casual clothes to the office that day and changed before he left. As he was leaving he passed Elliott Stabler in the corridor. "Nice threads." Elliott teased. "Off to play baseball?"

"I'm going to Breakable. Ever heard of it?"

Elliott gave him a huge grin, the biggest he'd ever seen on the detectives face, "Oh, man, I envy you. I love that place. I should go see her again."

"So you've been there. What do you recommend?"

"Get a date afterward." Elliott grinned happily.

"A date? Why should I….Ah, got it. Thanks for the advice."

"Hey, I gotta run, but tell her Elliott Stabler says hello and I'll be seeing her soon."

"I will."

He encountered several other people who guessed where he was going and received a series of polite and even lewd suggestions from them about after the session. Wow, what a response. He decided that Jennifer didn't know about that response or she'd be happier still. He arrived on time. She greeted him with a smile and a professional attitude.

While she copied his information he casually told her. "Do you know what kind of response you get from almost everyone I talked to?"

"I'm guessing positive." She said.

"You're right. Elliott Stabler says to say hi and he'll be seeing you soon."

"I like Elliott and pretty much everyone else I met."

"Still not dropping names, huh?"

"Cut that out!" she told him mildly. "Don't fish for information. I'm not legally bound by the medical HIPPA laws but I try to follow them. Don't mess with the law." She wagged a finger at him.

He grinned at her. "Sorry. I can't help it."

"Try. The reason so many people have been here is that I gave out free certificates to the officers of the precincts as a promotion and a professional courtesy. Most people used theirs and never came back. That's great or I wouldn't have done it, but I need repeat customers that pay. I'm sorry. That's none of your concern. This way please."

He guessed that she wasn't used to unloading her troubles on people. "I'm going to tell you, Jennifer, that if you need someone to talk to, I'd be glad to exchange professional services with you. It won't cost you a thing."

"That is so sweet, thank you." She said.

He read her like a book. She wouldn't accept. She opened a locked room and he followed her inside. She unlocked a cabinet and swung it open. He was intrigued by all the bats and clubs in the cabinet. "I like this. Have these been disinfected?"

"After every use." She nodded firmly.

He believed her. She stood back while he selected his weapon. She held her hand out for it. "I can carry it." He said.

"Part of the service. You'll get it back in the room." She teased.

"And if someone doesn't give it up?"

"They don't go." She said simply.

"As simple as that?"

"As simple as that." She insisted firmly.

He handed her the bat and followed her out of the room to the other one. It had objects everywhere that had signs on them from the list he had given her. There were items with mental illnesses that made people do terrible things to other people plastered to them, There were pictures on the wall in frames of abused people with cardboard figures with clothes on them in various poses as though to taunt the pictures, some were blown up from television and movies and put on the figures, there were several that represented the worst ones he'd ever heard of. They all made him want to obliterate them from the face of the earth.

He understood now why she did not give the person coming into the room for the first time the weapon. She handed him the bat and smiled at him. "Just wait for me to get out of the way, alright? Anything you don't want to destroy, you don't have to."

He grinned at her. "I think I'm going to really enjoy this."

"Well, then get to it." She made shooing motions for him to get started and left the room with a smile.

He grinned and swung at the nearest grinning monster about to stab a little boy. The man disappeared with a huge splat. He'd saved the boy. Okay, now he could really get into this. He usually saw the children after they were abused and molested never in time to save them. He moved onto the figure of the woman who attempting to choke a child. She went the same way as the man.

After that there was only the targets and his urge to halt, save and destroy the things that were so destructive and he couldn't prevent them, only pick up the pieces afterward. It was exhilarating. Now he knew how the detectives in the SVU felt. He felt empowered.

It was a huge disappointment when he heard Jennifer tell him that he only had 10 minutes to go. He went back to some of his favorites and experienced the thrill of doing the special ones all over again.

"Five minute cool down, Slugger." She teased him over the intercom.

He set the bat down and stood looking around feeling proud of what he'd done. And he got it. He got what this was all about. He got why this was such a rush. He got why his patients had been so excited about their visits. What he didn't get, was why it took so long for someone to come up with the idea for this.

Jennifer opened the door and stuck her head in. "Am I putting myself in danger by coming in?"

"No, I'm pretty much done. I won't attack you."

"I'm grateful for that. What a mess. You really took these guys down. Good for you. This one over here just got to me. The very idea that someone would threaten a kid like that, it was hard to put together. I know that it happens but I didn't even want to put it in here. It was on your list. This is one I would have loved to see you destroy."

"You weren't watching?" he asked.

"I told you privacy and I meant it. Even from me. Unless I don't hear noises or I hear odd ones, I don't intrude. Did you think I peeked?"

"I might have been tempted." He admitted.

"Tell me, Dr., do you also give out information about your patients just because you have it?"

"Of course not. That would be unethical."

"But you expected me to peek because you were in the room?" she teased with an edge in her voice.

"No, I guess not." He admitted. Then he grinned. "I apologize. Am I forgiven?"

"Only if you promise not to let it happen again." She said in mock indignation. She grinned at him.

He laughed. "I deserved that. I'll just ask you one more thing. Will you let me book another appointment?"

"I suppose I could manage that." She said with a teasing grin.

"And let me recommend some of my clients to you as well?"

"Now you're pushing it, Buster. Excuse me, Dr. Buster."

"I'll have that made into a name plate for my desk."

"Come out of here, I have other people to see, you know." Jennifer picked up the bat and led the way out of the room.

"Yes, ma'am." He followed her meekly out of the room.

She put the bat away and turned to him. "I owe you an apology. I'm a little flustered by you."

"Why?"

"You are a bonafide doctor, even if you can't write a prescription. I'm intimidated."

"I'm just a man like any other. I have an education, but I'm just a man. For all my degrees and education, I can't make people feel like you can here. You have nothing to feel intimidated about. I only wish I could just write a prescription and make people feel as good as I feel right now. So let me send them here. This can be my prescription for them."

"I appreciate that, but I don't take charity."

"This is not charity, Jennifer. This is one person who has found a perfect opportunity to help not only another person but my patients as well. Trust me. I'm being completely honest with you."

"You aren't from the government, are you? Oh, right, FBI."

"So that means?" he asked.

"I'm from the government and I'm here to help you?" She jibed.

"Ahh. Actually it's I'm from the government and _I_ need _your_ help."

"Either way I think I'm in trouble. I need to think about it."

"In the meantime, would you like to go out to dinner with me? I'd like to talk to you some more."

Jennifer smiled at him. "I'm waiting for someone tonight. But thank you for the offer."

He nodded. He wanted to share this feeling with someone. "Another time then?"

"Sure. Can I make a suggestion?"

"Sure."

"Use the feeling. Use it or loose it."

Huang grinned at her. He had just the person to share it with. "You know what? I think I'll get back to you tomorrow. There's someone I need to see."

"Take a non doctors prescription and find a female someone to see." She told him to his back as he was leaving the office.

He waved to her on his way out. Jennifer laughed after him.

TBC


	10. Chapter 10

**Breakable SVU Ch 10**

Dr. Melinda Warner scowled in irritation at the tech who stood next to her. "I told you to write that stuff down as I said it, not make it into one of your stories for your journalism class. Now I'll have to go back through it all and try to recreate it."

"But I wrote it all down."

"And lost it." Melinda snapped. The tech looked chagrined and she glared at him. "Go write down what you remember and we'll compare notes." She growled at the man. She sighed heavily at the extra work. The kid had aspirations of being a criminal writer and was using her to teach him all about wounds while he was studying his craft in college. Now, on top of everything else that she was doing she had to remember the numerous wounds on this poor soul. He was a man who'd been found without ID in the park and no one knew who he was, so until he had some kind of history she wasn't dealing with a stressed out family only an additional workload on top of a huge load already on her shoulders.

She sighed and rolled her shoulders to ease the tension. She desperately needed a cup of coffee and an aspirin the size of the Empire State Building. She wished they'd get off their collective asses and hire her another assistant ME so she could get caught up on her work. She'd sent in a couple of suggestions for people who are qualified, but the bean counters were dragging their heels. She heard the door open and saw two of her favorite people, usually, come in. This time she knew they were coming in for answers they needed and she didn't have.

"Have you gotten to that dead woman yet?" Elliott asked without preamble.

Olivia elbowed him in the side. "How are you?" she asked, giving him a scalding glance.

"Buried, and no I haven't. Thanks for asking. I have a preliminary but that's all. She was raped, beaten with a large object with a blunt but pointed end, and stabbed with a knife of some kind, but it doesn't have a hilt so it's likely a letter opener or similar object. She looks young, but I'd say she's around 40 or so, not much dental care for quite a while judging by her mouth, and she was diabetic, she had needle marks in her abdomen from insulin injections and the remnants of several different drugs in her stomach. I've sent them out to the lab to be analyzed."

"So she was a drug addict?" Elliott guessed.

"Not illegal drugs, as far as I can tell. They were all prescription drugs. That's all I know right now."

"Any idea of when you can have more for us?" Olivia asked.

"I'll get to it as soon as I can." She said heavily.

Olivia and Elliott exchanged a grin and then grinned at her. "Are you thinking what I'm thinking?" Elliott asked.

"Oh, yeah. Melinda, have I got a wonderful surprise for you." Olivia grinned at her friend.

"What? I'm not into blind dates, if that's what you're thinking." The ME said warily.

Elliott laughed. "Not even close. I'll go make that call." He told his partner.

That was how the Chief ME for NYPD SVU department ended up at Breakable later that afternoon looking bemused and mildly annoyed. "Olivia, this is a waste of time. I have work to do." She said.

"Now what kind of friend would I be if I let the best ME around get buried in work when I can help. Come on, let me introduce you to a good time." Olivia said. "Don't give me that look, everyone at the squad room kicked in for this and Torrance because he's at least a half of the problem. You aren't going to let us down, are you?"

"You are manipulating me." Melinda said indignantly, but she was flattered. "Everyone chipped in?"

"Everyone." Olivia assured her.

"Okay then, I guess I have no choice."

"Just one word of advice before we go in." Olivia said trying to hide her grin. Melinda thought she was serious. "Remember this, Fin is waiting for you afterward."

"Fin? Why?"

Olivia laughed and steered her inside. "Olivia, hello. And you must be Dr. Warner. I'm Jennifer." The woman inside greeted them cheerfully. She came forward and shook the surprised doctors hand.

"Yes, I'm Melinda Warner." She said doubtfully.

"And you have no idea of why you're here, do you?" Jennifer laughed and sent Olivia a scolding look. "I seem to be the tool of a great many people who thing they're amusing. I assure you, if you don't like it here you never have to come back."

"What exactly is here?" the confused woman asked.

Jennifer looked at Olivia. "You, in the corner, bad girl." She shooed the detective toward the front of the room. To Melindas surprise, Olivia grinned and did just that.

"Step this way, ma'am." Jennifer said.

Once explained to her Melinda was reluctant to try it. It wasn't something she'd ever expected. Olivia came back over, completely serious. "Melinda, we have all been here and it isn't as odd as it sounds. Elliott has been here, I have, Fin, Munch, Huang…"

"Cragen?"

"Even he has. It's a great stress relief and I think it's time well spent. We all chipped in so you could relax and enjoy yourself. We all agreed on that, and I hope you'll consider the fact that we aren't the only precinct that has come here. Will you at least try it, for us?"

She was considering. "Can I ask a question?" Jennifer asked differentially.

"Sure."

"Did you ever golf or play baseball?"

"I just can't get into golf, but I used to play baseball as a kid. Why?" Warner asked curiously.

"Do you remember how excited you were when you hit the ball for the first time or a home run? How good that felt and how excited you were? Imagine that you're using that bat on the slimeballs and murders and killers than are doing that same thing to the people you have to work on every day. Wouldn't it be nice to give them just a taste of their own medicine?"

Warner grinned. "Yeah, it would."

"That's what we do here. You're going to get that chance. I've set up some things that you can use, and in some cosmic way, I hope they feel it or that the victims know that someone cared enough to want them to pay for it."

"You are peddling violence." Warner said, but she was intrigued.

"No, and I'm not condoning violence either. What I'm offering is a natural outlet for the rage that everyone feels and is not allowed to express in a normal day. It's in a controlled environment and is perfectly safe for anyone outside the room. I spent an hour getting a room ready just for you. Would you like to at least look at it before you decide? I've gone to an awful lot of trouble for you."

"You are pushing pretty hard for it."

"I have never seen any place come to bat, sorry, for someone like this squad has for you. There must be a reason for it. Are you buried in work? Have you been unusually grumpy lately? You have good friends to do this for you. You're a very lucky woman."

"You are persuasive." Warner said.

"It's up to you. Olivia said you were having a hard time and she wanted to share something with you that would make it easier to take. There's nothing wrong with that. There'd be more wrong if she didn't want to help you, I'd say."

"I'd never do anything that would hurt you, Melinda." Olivia said quietly.

"Oh, alright."

"Excellent." Jennifer said with a relieved grin. "Step this way."

Olivia was smiling too. She went back to the front of the store. Jennifer took over, getting her to sign the documents and then took her into the weapons room. She opened the cabinet. "I have a few choices for you. Pick out the one that feels best to you."

"Are you sure this is a good idea?"

"I never argue with the long arm of the law and some of them have been sure several times."

She chose a long bat and handed it to Jennifer. They went into the back room and Jennifer gave her a chance to look around without comment. She had done a lot. There was a display case with various kinds of weapons simulated with plastic toy knives, other things that had been supplied as ideas that had been used as weapons on victims through the years, cigarette and cigar boxes, a variety of heavy looking objects used to bludgeon and maim victims, ropes and wires that were used for strangulations, and the effigies of bureaucrats that had names, suspiciously accurate names of current officials that were always on her case about costs and expenses and her case load. Or that she wasn't working hard enough or long enough hours.

"You convinced me." She growled to Jennifer.

"I'm glad. Just let me get out of the way first. I don't want to be confused with one of those officials." Jennifer laughed.

"Not a chance in the world of that."

The chief one of her officials was the first to go. If only she could show the real man that, she thought. She worked her way down the line, then worked her way down the weapons. She also found under a piece of cloth a special surprise. An entire row of masks painted to look like some of the worst killers they'd come into contact with. She gleefully smashed them to powder.

After the objects that were meant to be destroyed had been she went after the tables they'd been sitting on. Wooden splinters flew everywhere, metal parts gave a loud clang as they hit the concrete floor and glass crunched under her feet. One box in the corner had been overlooked. She went over to it and swung hard against the side of it. It burst open and kids play sized balls rolled out with body parts painted on them. One of them had a smiley face on it. She had a good time chasing the objects rolling around on the floor to making them explode. She saved the smiley face for last.

"Five minutes left." Jennifer said into the room.

Melinda checked her watch in surprise. She'd been here the entire hour. Or almost. She looked around and dropped her bat. She was out of shape, but damn did she feel good. She was all ready when Jennifer opened the door. "I owe you an apology." She told Jennifer. "I didn't think this was going to be a good idea, but you did such a good job with it. And I liked the surprises."

"I had help with that." Jennifer admitted.

"I'd say so. Will you accept my apology? I misjudged the value of your services."

"Apology accepted. You have one more surprise, but it's not in here. You'll have to come out to the outer office for it."

"More?"

"Again, I only had a little bit to do with it." Jennifer shrugged and picked up the bat. She led the way out and Melinda smiled when she saw her surprise.

Olivia had left the office and Fin was standing in the office grinning at her. "Olivia had to leave so I thought you and I could catch some dinner and…." 

"Please, innocent ears here." Jennifer cried, grinning. Fin grinned at Melinda and Jennifer turned to her. "You are welcome to come back here anytime you need to, Dr. Warner. I'll see what I can do to help."

"Call me Melinda and I'll be back. Thank you." She instinctively leaned over and hugged the woman.

"Save some of that for me." Fin protested.

"I'm going to bet there's plenty of that to go around." Jennifer made a face at him. "Go to dinner."

As they left the phone was ringing. "Breakable, this is Jennifer. How can I help you?"

TBC

A/N: One more chapter and tha-tha-that's all folks.


	11. Chapter 11

**Breakable SVU Finale**

Captain Dan Ross of the Major Case Squad took care of the last of the paperwork and headed for home. He wanted to call Jennifer and apologize for leaving her so abruptly, but she had said she understood. He didn't see how, his ex never had.

He got home and saw that it was 10:00 pm. She'd be in bed by now. He checked his mail and opened an invitation. He was always receiving them and this looked no different than the rest of them.

It read:

_**You and a Guest are cordially invited to a Dinner**_

_**In honor of the fine work the NYPD and NYFD has done for**_

_**The City of New York**_

_**The Dinner will be held at 7:00 pm at the Towers Plaza.**_

_**Dress will be formal.**_

_**Please RSVP as soon as possible**_

He hated these formal dinners, but at least he was notified of it far enough in advance that he could come up with an excuse to get out of it.

He had no guest to take. Or did he? Was it possible that Jennifer would go with him? He really should go. He took a chance and picked up the phone. It rang four times before her sleepy voice picked it up. "Who is he and what did he do now?" she asked.

"He was calling to apologize again for standing you up." Dan said amused.

"Dan, hi. Sorry, I thought it was my daughter. She always calls after her dates and talks."

"That's alright. I shouldn't have called so late." He said amused.

"That's okay. Are you alright? You aren't hurt are you?"

"No, I'm fine. I'm actually embarrassed now. I should have waited to call you until the morning."

"I'm glad you called. You must have had a reason. It's nice to hear from you and that you're alright."

"I'd like to invite you to a dinner. It's a formal occasion, so feel free to say no, but it's for the Fire Department and the Police Department. I'd like to take you with me, if you'd like to go."

"When is it?"

"Saturday night at 7:00."

"Hmmm. I'll have to put my multitudes of admirers on hold for the night, but I think I can clear my schedule." She yawned. "Sorry."

He grinned. He knew perfectly well she didn't go out with any other admirers. "Don't worry about it. Shall I pick you up at 6:30?"

"Please. You are wearing a black tux, right?"

"Is there another color?" he teased back.

"Oh, honey, you have no idea."

He laughed. "Yes, it's black."

"I'll find a nice neon green camo'd something to match then." She said mischievously.

"Uh, probably not a good idea."

A full laugh came at him over the phone. "I'll dig out my best potato sack then. Thank you for asking me."

"I'll see you then."

"Come at 6:15, just in case you don't like what I get, okay?"

"Anything you choose will be great." He said.

"Please?" she asked sincerely.

"I'll be there with bells on."

"Jingle or cow?"

"Jingle or cow?"

"Think about it. Good night, Dan."

"Good night, Jennifer."

He hung up and he was on his way to the bedroom when it occurred to him what she had said. He laughed looking forward to Saturday night.

He scoured the city and came up with a surprise for Jennifer when he showed up at 6:15 on the dot. She answered the door. "Hello." She smiled at him. "You look handsome."

"Thank you, but no one's going to notice me for looking at you. You look beautiful."

"I told you, only my best potato sack for you. Come in, while I finish getting ready."

He followed her upstairs to her apartment. He noticed she was wearing moccasin slippers under her long ball gown. "I like the foot wear." He teased.

"My fuzzy pink slippers are in the laundry."

"So did your daughter call after I did?"

"No, she hasn't so I guess she found one she likes." She sat down on the sofa and kicked off her slippers, slipping on some silver sandals with slender heels that showed off her muscular legs to perfection. He wished she had on a shorter dress. He was a leg man. She bent over and buckled them on and he got a flash of cleavage.

He hastily looked away. She was up in a flash and grabbed her small handbag. "How is the weather outside?"

"It's nice now, but they said it might get cool later."

"I don't have anything to wear with this. I didn't think about it."

"I'll turn the heat on for you if you get cold. It'll only be from the building to the front, it's valet parking. You should be fine."

"If you say so." She checked her earrings and dropped her hands to smile at him. "I'm ready."

"You're missing something." He said.

A small frown creased her forehead. "I am? I thought I had everything."

He pulled a small box out of his pocket and handed it to her. "This is what you're missing."

"You didn't have to." She said pleased.

"I know. I wanted to."

She opened up the box and pulled the upper layer of cotton. Nestled in the box two pairs of earrings. One set with bells on them and one with cow bells on them. She grinned at him. "With bells on."

"I didn't want to wear them so I thought maybe you would."

She got tears in her eyes. "That is so incredibly thoughtful." She said.

"Don't cry. If you don't like them…." He said, concerned.

"I love them, really. I haven't had a present this nice since….Well, forever. Thank you, Dan."

She stepped forward and reached up to kiss his cheek. He turned so their lips met and he put his arms around her, careful not to crush her dress. He kissed her thoroughly noticing she kissed him back. He let her go before he gave up on the dinner altogether.

"Do you like to dance?" he asked.

"I'm very rusty." She sounded uncertain.

"We don't have to. I'm not sure there will be. I just thought I'd ask. Ready?"

"Ready."

He tucked her hand in the crook of his arm and led her to the door. He went down the stairs ahead of her incase she tripped and held the door for her both on the store and the car. She slipped into the seat and buckled the belt. She pulled the belt down.

He got in. "Is there something wrong with the belt?" he asked.

"I hate things around my neck. The belt cuts right across my neck and it makes me feel like I'm being choked. Since I have to wear the body finder, I just hold it this way."

"Body finder? The seatbelts save lives every day."

"And save cops from having to search for the bodies of the victims." She shot back. "It's nerves, Dan, don't pay any attention."

He reached over and touched her hand. "You'll do fine and you look beautiful. Besides you know all of my squad and Don Cragen. You'll be the hit of the place."

"Silver tongued devil." She squeezed his hand. "Drive, so we're not late."

"Yes, ma'am." He suited actions to words.

The hotel was pretty busy when they arrived. The valet took Dans keys while the doorman opened Jennifers door. Dan came around and offered her his arm again. She took it and he led her into the building.

The main room had been set up so that everyone could come in at one spot and Dan gave them his invitation. It wasn't necessary as the Police Commissioner was greeting everyone at the door. Dan shook hands with him and greeted his wife and introduced Jennifer. "So you're the woman I've been hearing so much about. It's a pleasure to finally meet you."

"Thank you. It's a pleasure to meet you, too."

"I need to ask you about how you managed to obtain the names of my officers without any kind of authorization."

"Mrs. Donato, you look lovely tonight." Jennifer said, not answering the man.

"Thank you, so do you." the woman said glancing at her husband.

"We need to find our seats." Dan said. "We're holding up the line."

"I'll talk to you later." The Commissioner said.

Dan steered her away from the line. "I think a good many people want to know how you did that." He told her.

"It was completely legal, I assure you."

"But you're not going to tell me?'

"If you can figure it out, I'll give you a treat."

"Dan, Jennifer, how are you?" a male voice called from behind them. It was Don Cragen.

Dan shook the hand of his friend. "Hi, Don. Good, how about you?"

"Jennifer, you look beautiful. You remember Alex Cabot. Dan, you might know her already."

"I know of her. Good evening, Ms. Cabot." Dan said politely.

"Captain Ross." The tall blond said. "Hello Jennifer? I can't find anything else like your business, on line or anywhere else."

"As far as I know, I'm the only one who has one like it other than the one I sold."

"Jennifer, I didn't know you would be here." A pleased female voice said. "Good evening, Captain." Alex Eames and Bobby Goren appeared in their circle.

"Hi, Alex. You look beautiful. Bobby, handsome as always." Jennifer said, warmly.

"You look nice yourself." Bobby said.

"Thank you."

Alex Cabots eyes were taking this all in. They were joined immediately by Mike and Carolyn then by Elliott and Olivia who all greeted Jennifer like a long time friend. She greeted them all and with smiles and comments. It was a sizeable group by the time they were all invited to take their seats. Dan took them to the their seats and made sure Jennifer got seated then took his seat.

As people walked by, a number of them greeted Jennifer by name with comments and smiles. She called them all by name. When the parade finally ended he leaned over and asked her. "How in the world do you remember so many people at one time?"

"Can I tell you later?" she asked.

"I want to know that." He grinned at her.

"You got it." She grinned back.

The Mayor of New York got up and made a speech, then so did the Police Commissioner and the District Attorney. Dinner was served while they all chatted about different things. Jennifer was a quiet attendee with a sparkling smile and she laughed as she followed the conversation. She made sure she kept her hands under the table occasionally touching Dans leg.

He put his hand on his leg and she touched it instead. He captured hers in his. She squeezed his hand and kept talking like nothing had changed, except that he kept losing track of the conversation. Luckily it was easy to pick it back up.

After dinner, there was dancing. Dan stood up and asked Jennifer to dance. She accepted with a smile and he led her out onto the floor. "Are you enjoying yourself?" he asked.

"I am. Everyone is so nice. But I'll tell you something. I think I have the handsomest date here."

"You are going to make my head swell." Dan said, rather nonplussed over the flattery.

"Shall I insult you to bring it back down to size?"

"No." he grinned.

After that dance she danced with Don Cragen, Mike Logan, several others and then Bobby invited. Dan was beginning to think he'd never get to dance with her again. She came to sit down and took a drink of her water, draining it. He poured her another and she sipped that.

Several men came by to dance, but she begged off. They went away without being offended. "I think you ought to get a job with the department." Alex said. "You seem to have a knack with people."

"I'm not bound by any rules of conduct, maybe that's the difference." Jennifer said mildly.

"So, are you planning on opening a second store?" Mike asked. "I hear you have quite a long waiting list to get in."

"No, no second location. I've had offers to sell out, but I'm not sure what I'm going to do."

Jennifer's body tensed up and Dan was concerned. He decided he was going to ask her about it later. "Dan, I don't believe I've met your companion." A womans voice over his shoulder said.

All of the men half rose to their feet. Dan stood all the way up and shook the hand of the woman who approached the table. "How are you? Captain Samantha Sackett, may I present Jennifer. Jennifer, Samantha Sackett of Major Case West."

Jennifer stood up and turned to the woman. "Captain Sackett, it's a pleasure to meet you."

"You are the woman who owns that business, I've heard about. Breakable, right?"

"Guilty as charged."

"I must say, I'm looking forward to your reaching our precinct. I understand it's quite a fun time."

Jennifer smiled, but she seemed reluctant. "Did I say something wrong?" Sackett asked.

"I, uh, wasn't going to say anything until later. I probably won't be coming to your precinct, Captain. I'm having some trouble with my location and it looks like I'm going to be forced out of my building and I'm not having any luck finding new headquarters. I have some more places I have to check out, but the rent is far higher than I can afford. I'm sorry."

"You should have said something." Dan scolded her mildly. "How long has this been going on?"

"I got a petition a couple of days ago from the neighbors asking my landlord to evict me. It seems the less law abiding of my neighbors are finding the parade of officials and officers is choking out their business. I'm the outsider so I'm the enemy. My landlord has given me an eviction notice."

"We'll get you a lawyer to fight this. It can't be legal." Alex said.

"The lease I had was conditional. That was the only way he'd rent to me. I've already checked with a lawyer. I'm out of there."

"We can find you somewhere else to set up." Mike said. "What you have is too valuable of a service to just close without warning."

"I think we might be able to find something in my area. We have had several businesses that left for one reason or another and I'd be glad to arrange extra patrols if you need the security." Captain Sackett said.

"I – I don't know what to say." Jennifer said overcome. "I – I'll have to give it some thought and…"

"I think we flustered her." Bobby said. "Jennifer, let us help you."

Don Cragen came over to see what was going on. "What's up?" he asked.

With many voices he found out. "This isn't going to happen." He declared. He gestured over to his table and Alex Cabot came over. Dan stood up and gave her his seat. He moved over to stand behind a flustered Jennifers chair. He put his hands on the back of it, not moving them when she leaned back.

Bobby noticed. His eyes went to his captains and he received the message loud and clear. As long as she would let them they were going to help her and keep her around. He gave his captain a minuscule nod. Message acknowledged. He got up and moved toward the front of the room, unnoticed.

"He can't just order you out, even if you have a lease like that. We could fight it, but you'd lose. What we can do is get him to give you a reasonable time to be out. I'll recommend someone to do it for you."

"I can't afford another attorney. Most of my savings has gone to that one. I'm not going to be able to make my utilities. I'll need to find a job while I'm looking for another place. I appreciate the offer…."

Elliott and Olivia had joined the group. "You told me you used to work at the police precinct. Is there something we can give you to do until you can get situated in another place? It seems like they're always short staffed in admin." Olivia suggested.

"Or records. I heard we lost another clerk." Elliott suggested.

"Can I have everyones attention, please." Bobbys voice was amplified over the microphone at the front of the room.

Alex Eames looked in surprise at her usually reticent partner. "Some of you know me, I'm Robert Goren of Major Case. Some of you have had the pleasure of receiving a free certificate to the new business called Breakable. I have and I appreciate the experience. Jennifer has given a lot of those out to members of our departments out of appreciation for what we do and now she needs our help. She is being forced out of her place of business, her home and her job. It's not fair and it's not right. She has been more than generous to us and we need to reciprocate.

Not only is she a great business owner, she is also the widow of a former officer. That makes her not only a valuable asset to our community, but a family member. We need to help this woman. Either contact myself, or Major Case if you can help. Anything would be appreciated. Thank you."

People started to gather around the table including the Police Commissioner. "I think I'm going to be able to find you a job in the department as long as you need it." He told Jennifer.

"Th-thank you, sir."

"But I still want to know…." He started.

"Understood, sir." Jennifer said quickly.

"I can find an office for you to work out of." Someone else said.

Various other offers were being bandied about. Jennifer was looking positively overwhelmed. She jumped to her feet. "Excuse me, please." She pushed her way out of the crowd and hurried for the outside. The crowd was momentarily stunned but they turned to the subject at hand.

Dan went after her. She was standing out in the yard breathing deeply. She glanced over at him when he showed up and looked down. "I'm sorry."

"It's alright. It was a bit overwhelming. It shows what an impact that you've made on us, that so many people were willing to help you."

"I just wanted to help and make my own way in the world. I never meant to look for charity."

"It wasn't charity, Jennifer. You know from experience that cynicism and the worst of human nature is what we deal with every day. It's an accepted part of our profession that we only see the seamy side of things. When we see something that makes that easier to take, especially one of our own who needs help, we tend to step up. It's a good thing. You don't have to be ashamed to need help. That's how we survive by helping each other."

"I'm an outsider, Dan."

"No, you haven't been since you first took one of the officers outside their anger. And you did it without making a huge production. I know for a fact that you've made my squad a little happier, more relaxed and more productive. I'm selfish, because I want it to continue."

"I agree." Another voice said. Don Cragen had come out and joined them. "Sorry, I didn't mean to eavesdrop."

"It's alright." Dan told him.

"Jennifer, we've come to a decision. We're going to provide you with an office and a job until you're on your feet and then we're going to work on getting you a contract with the NYPD to provide your service to us on a monthly basis. We believe in your business that much. Captain Sackett is asking that you come to her squad next, and the fire department is clamoring for more information. You've started a ball rolling that is going to take a life of it's own. You can step up and run with it if you want to."

Dan noticed she was holding her arms close to her side. It had turned cool outside. He took off his jacket and draped it over her shoulders. She smiled her thank you at him. "What do you think?" she asked him quietly.

"I'd like you to stay around, but the call is yours."

"Can we still have dinner once in a while?"

"We'll figure something out." He said with a chuckle.

"Then lets do it. Thank you. Thank you, too, Captain Cragen."

"It's Don and you're welcome. We'd better go back in before they get you franchised."

Jennifer, wearing Dan's jacket, walked back into the hotel between two captains of the NYPD to a roomful of friends and a future with the NYPD.

COMPLETE


End file.
